Treatment with 4Jointz reduces knee pain over 12 weeks of treatment in patients with clinical knee osteoarthritis: a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials registry ACTRN12610000877088.

Phytomedicine in Joint Disorders

“…A study on people aged 50-80 with OA of the knee proved that topically applied comfrey preparation decreased pain, although was unable to decrease the burden of inflammatory molecules or the rate of cartilage breakdown, the only noticeable adverse effect being local rash. [88] Similar results yielded another study on a similar population of years-long sufferers from OA of the knee: a comfrey-containing ointment improved the quality of life by decreasing pain and increasing knee-mobility. [89] Active phytochemicals.…”

A critical scoping review of external uses of comfrey (Symphytum spp.)

“…A RCT of 4Jointz for osteoarthritis (n = 133) found a 9.9 mm greater reduction in a VAS of pain in the comfrey group (p = 0.034). 75 They administered blood tests to check for systemic effects and found no alterations after 12 weeks. A RCT including 379 acute back pain patients compared comfrey plus methyl nicotinate, methyl nicotinate alone and placebo and found a significantly smaller AUC of VAS (100 mm = maximum pain) in the combination group (p < 0.0001).…”

KARAOKE: Krill oil versus placebo in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

“…Lower limb muscle strength is a key correlate of pain and typically increases when pain reduces [52].…”

“…Using data from another trial conducted in our centre [61], and assuming 10mm difference between krill oil and placebo on the VAS pain scale (reduction in VAS pain scores in the placebo group by -15.5±25.5 mm over 12 weeks), and using assumptions of 90% power, and 5% probability of type 1 error (alpha=0.05), we will need 234 participants. Adjusting for 10% loss to follow up, we need 260 participants (130 in each arm).…”