The combination of chondroitin sulfate plus glucosamine hydrochloride has comparable efficacy to the anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib after 6 months of treatment in severe osteoarthritis, according to a recent clinical trial published online ahead of print January 14 in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. Specifically, it was seen that the combination of these two drugs caused a clinically relevant reduction in pain, functional disability, stiffness, swelling, and joint effusion.
MOVES (Multicentre Osteoarthritis InterVEntion Trial with Sysadoa) is a multicenter, randomized, parallel-group, double-blind controlled clinical trial that enrolled 606 patients from at 42 centers in France, Germany, Poland, and Spain. The study was sponsored by Bioibérica, suppliers of the chondroitin sulfate used in Cosamin DS. The trial was developed as an extension of the GAIT (Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial) study, which showed that the combination of 1,500 mg per day of glucosamine hydrochloride and 1,200 mg per day of chondroitin sulfate was effective in a moderate to severe subgroup of patients.
Marc C. Hochberg, MD, MPH
Patients with primary knee osteoarthritis and moderate to severe pain were randomized to receive 1,200 mg of chondroitin sulfate (400 mg/d tid) plus 1,500 mg of glucosamine hydrochloride (500 mg/d tid) or celecoxib (200 mg) every day for 6 months.
After 6 months, patients experienced the following:
• A reduction in pain by 50.1%.
• A reduction in swelling by 53%.
• A reduction in stiffness by 46.9%.
• A reduction in functional disability by 45.5%.
• A reduction in joint effusion by 56%.
“This study confirms the efficacy of the combination of pharmaceutical-grade chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine [hydrochloride] in the long term and suggests that, considering its excellent safety profile, it may be a good alternative for patients with cardiovascular or gastrointestinal problems, for whom chronic treatment with NSAIDs cannot be recommended,” said lead author Marc C. Hochberg, MD, MPH, a Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.