Peri-articular Dextrose Prolotherapy: Investigating the Effect of Injection Site on Knee Osteoarthritis Pain: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Clinical Trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether the injection site (acupuncture points vs. slightly medial to acupuncture points) affects the effectiveness of peri-articular dextrose prolotherapy in reducing pain, joint stiffness, and improving physical activity in knee osteoarthritis patients.
Results Summary
Dextrose prolotherapy significantly reduced pain intensity, joint stiffness, and improved physical performance in both groups, with no statistically significant difference between the two injection site approaches. The improvements were observed at 1 and 2 months post-intervention.
Population
26 patients with grade 2 and 3 bilateral knee osteoarthritis.
Effective Dosage
Dextrose and lidocaine injections administered three times, once per week (specific dextrose concentration not mentioned).
Duration
3 weeks (intervention period), with follow-ups at 1 and 2 months post-intervention.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
peri-articular dextrose prolotherapy | decrease | knee osteoarthritis pain | - | - | has been shown to reduce | #1 |
dextrose and lidocaine injection | decrease | pain intensity score | patients with grade 2 and 3 bilateral knee osteoarthritis | - | significantly decreased | #2 |
dextrose and lidocaine injection | decrease | joint stiffness | patients with grade 2 and 3 bilateral knee osteoarthritis | - | significantly decreased | #3 |
dextrose and lidocaine injection | decrease | physical performance | patients with grade 2 and 3 bilateral knee osteoarthritis | - | significantly decreased | #4 |
dextrose and lidocaine injection | decrease | WOMAC | patients with grade 2 and 3 bilateral knee osteoarthritis | - | significantly decreased | #5 |
dextrose and lidocaine injection at acupuncture points vs. 1.5 cm medial to acupuncture points | no change | study outcomes | patients with grade 2 and 3 bilateral knee osteoarthritis | - | did not have a statistically significant difference | #6 |
prolotherapy with dextrose | neutral | knee osteoarthritis | - | - | is an effective treatment for | #7 |
BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It not only causes pain and physical limitations but also impacts mental health, sleep, work participation, and even mortality. Peri-articular dextrose prolotherapy has been shown to reduce knee osteoarthritis pain; however, the effect of injection sites on its effectiveness is not clear. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the effect of injection points on pain intensity, joint stiffness, and physical activity in patients with knee osteoarthritis who underwent peri-articular dextrose prolotherapy. METHODS: This double-blind clinical trial involved 26 patients with grade 2 and 3 bilateral knee osteoarthritis. Three times every one week, dextrose and lidocaine were injected as interventions. Injection sites were positioned within acupuncture points on one knee, but were relocated by 1.5 centimeters to the medial side of the same acupuncture points on the other knee. Pain intensity, joint stiffness, and physical activity were evaluated using the Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS) and the Persian version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) before the intervention and at each follow-up visit at 1 and 2 months post-injection. RESULTS: Pain intensity score, joint stiffness, physical performance, and WOMAC were significantly decreased one and two months after the intervention in both groups (P = 0.0001). The improvement in the patients of both groups was similar, and the two study groups did not have a statistically significant difference in terms of study outcomes (P = 0.37). CONCLUSIONS: Prolotherapy with dextrose is an effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis.