Update on the role of pharmaceutical-grade chondroitin sulfate in the symptomatic management of knee osteoarthritis

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#chondroitin-sulfates #humans #osteoarthritis-knee #pain #treatment-outcome

Update on the role of pharmaceutical-grade chondroitin sulfate in the symptomatic management of knee osteoarthritis

Honvo et al., 2019 | Aging Clin Exp Res | Meta Analysis

Citation

Honvo Germain, Bruyère Olivier, Reginster Jean-Yves. Update on the role of pharmaceutical-grade chondroitin sulfate in the symptomatic management of knee osteoarthritis. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2019-Aug;31(8):1163-1167. doi:10.1007/s40520-019-01253-z

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent musculoskeletal disease and a major cause of negative relevant outcomes, associated with an ever-increasing societal burden. Pharmaceutical-grade chondroitin sulfate (CS) was repeatedly reported to reduce pain and improve function in patients with knee OA. This treatment was also shown to be cost-effective, compared to placebo, up to 24 months. However, controversies still persist regarding the usefulness of CS for patients with knee OA, mainly due to inconsistent reports from various clinical trials. In this literature review, we aimed to summarize the main most recent findings on the efficacy and safety of CS in OA. Based on the results of studies presenting a low risk of bias, the most recent meta-analysis shows that only the pharmaceutical-grade CS may be considered as an appropriate background treatment for the management of knee OA. Evidence from another recent meta-analysis, using data from full safety reports, confirms the good safety profile of CS in OA. This new evidence on efficacy and safety suggests that recommendations for the use of CS in patients with knee OA cannot be extrapolated to other low-grade preparations as generics, nutraceutical-grade or over-the-counter preparations.

Key Findings

This new evidence on efficacy and safety suggests that recommendations for the use of CS in patients with knee OA cannot be extrapolated to other low-grade preparations as generics, nutraceutical-grade or over-the-counter preparations.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population knee oa
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Chondroitin Sulfates
  • Humans
  • Osteoarthritis, Knee
  • Pain
  • Treatment Outcome

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Review
  • Vertical: chondroitin-osteoarthritis

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09