A randomized controlled trial conducted by a research team at a primary care clinic at the Chinese University of Hong Kong indicates that intra-articular-only injection therapy with hypertonic dextrose is safe and effective for alleviating symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.
Over 52 weeks of treatment, the study followed 76 patients who were between 45 and 75 years old who had been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis and who suffered moderate to severe chronic knee pain for at least three months. One group of 38 patients received the hypertonic dextrose injection therapy, while the other had the same therapy only using normal saline. While both groups reported some improvement, the hypertonic dextrose group reported more significant reductions in pain by the conclusion of the study. The researchers note that longer-term follow-up, direct comparison with other injection therapies, and cost-effective analysis are all needed.
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Efficacy of Intra-Articular Hypertonic Dextrose (Prolotherapy) for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Regina Wing Shan Sit, MBBS, et al
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Hong Kong
http://www.annfammed.org/content/18/3/235
The Annals of Family Medicine