Whether duloxetine, a medication that is prescribed to treat depression can benefit patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis was examined recently by a clinical trial published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
Hardly anyone escapes the annoyance of occasional aches and pains, especially as they age. But persistent joint pain and stiffness can be signs of arthritis, which affects more than 54.4 million American adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
‘Duloxetine is an antidepressant medication that eases chronic pain did not reduce arthritis pain.’
By 2040, an estimated 78 million American adults are projected to have doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
In this new trial, patients experiencing chronic osteoarthritis-related pain in the hip or knee that did not go away with over-the-counter medications, 66 were randomized to duloxetine added to usual care and 66 were randomized to usual care alone.
The trial’s investigators found that duloxetine did not lessen pain at 3 months or 12 months.
However, there was no clinically relevant effect of duloxetine added to usual care compared to usual care alone for chronic osteoarthritis pain, and so it cannot be implemented.
Source: Medindia
