Is chondroitin sulfate effective for osteoarthritis?
Is chondroitin sulfate effective for osteoarthritis?
Rojas-Briones et al., 2017 | Medwave | Meta Analysis
Citation
Rojas-Briones Valentina, Harrison-Muñoz Stephanie, Irarrázaval Sebastián. Is chondroitin sulfate effective for osteoarthritis?. Medwave. 2017-Apr-26;17(Suppl2):e6929. doi:10.5867/medwave.2017.6929
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent chronic articular disease, in which pain is one of the main symptoms and the major determinant of functional loss. Several therapeutic options have been proposed, including chondroitin sulfate, but its actual usefulness has not yet been established. To answer this question we searched in Epistemonikos database, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources. We identified 13 systematic reviews including 50 randomized trials overall. We extracted data, conducted a meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table using the GRADE approach. We concluded it is not clear whether the use of chondroitin sulfate leads to an improvement in pain or functionality in osteoarthritis because the certainty of the evidence is very low.
Key Findings
We concluded it is not clear whether the use of chondroitin sulfate leads to an improvement in pain or functionality in osteoarthritis because the certainty of the evidence is very low.
Outcomes Measured
- Requires manual extraction
Population
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | See abstract |
| Sample Size | See abstract |
| Age Range | See abstract |
| Condition | See abstract |
MeSH Terms
- Chondroitin Sulfates
- Databases, Factual
- Humans
- Osteoarthritis
- Pain
- Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Evidence Classification
- Level: Meta Analysis
- Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis
- Vertical: chondroitin-osteoarthritis
Provenance
- PMID: 28452976
- DOI: 10.5867/medwave.2017.6929
- PMCID: Not in PMC
- Verified: 2026-04-09 via PubMed E-utilities API
Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09