Moxibustion for Knee Osteoarthritis

Idiopathic Osteoarthritis Clinical Trial

Official title: Moxibustion for Knee Osteoarthritis: a Randomized Pilot Clinical Trial

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This study aims to assess the feasibility, effectiveness and safety of moxibustion for symptom management and function improvement in patients with knee osteoarthritis, compared to usual care group.

Clinical Trial Description

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease and a leading cause of pain and physical disability in older people. Its symptoms, including pain and physical disability, significantly affect patient's quality of life, and increased depression has been observed in patients with greater pain due to knee OA. Current management options include exercise, weight reduction, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other pain medication, intra-articular injections of steroid or hyaluronan, arthroscopic surgery and joint replacement. Except exercise and weight reduction, no known interventions have shown definitive evidence of benefits and safety for knee OA. Thus, it is still worth exploring effective and safe management options for knee OA patients.

Moxibustion is one of traditional Asian medicine using the heat stimulation by burning mugwort (mainly Artemisia vulgaris or Artemisia argyi) on acupuncture points, and regarded as a subtype of acupuncture. Previous literatures reported its use on chronic conditions including gastrointestinal disease, hypertension, musculoskeletal pain, cancer care, gynecological conditions and stroke rehabilitation solely or in combination with routine care or other traditional medicine. However, studies adequately evaluating effects and safety of moxibustion for patients with knee OA are insufficient. Given the gaps between little evidence for effects and safety of moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis and its wide use in clinical practice, the investigators attempted to assess the feasibility, effectiveness and safety of moxibustion for patients with knee osteoarthritis. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Idiopathic Osteoarthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoarthritis, Knee

• NCT number: NCT01354860
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1/Phase 2
• Start date: December 2010
• Completion date: May 2011