Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment Injections-Fibroblast Human Growth Factor-Decreases Pain and Reduces Loss of Cartilage in Knee

Knee OA after successful trial

Fibroblast human growth factor decreases pain and reduces loss or cartilage in lateral compartment osteoarthritis for knee osteoarthritis treatment injections.   In the double blinded randomized placebo controlled trial was led by the Dr. Stephen Lohmander MD, Ph,D, Orthopaedics Department, Lund University Hospital, Sweden, 192 patients were randomized and evaluated for safety, 180 completed the trial, 168 evaluated for primary efficacy endpoint for knee osteoarthritis treatment injections. Twenty-four subjects either received one injection of medicine or placebo.  The group found no statistically significant dose-response in change in cMFTC cartilage thickness. Sprifermin (recombinant human fibroblast growth factor 18) was associated with statistically significant, dose-dependent reductions in loss of total and lateral femorotibial cartilage thickness and volume, and in joint space narrowing in the lateral femorotibial compartment. All groups improved in WOMAC pain, with statistically significant less improvement at 12 months in patients receiving 100?g sprifermin than placebo.  Comment:  This could be promising disease modifying treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee, a very good adjunct to current knee osteoarthitis treatment injections.  However medial compartment cartilage loss is more common.  The great finding is that all patients had a reduction in pain. Right now in our clinic we only have corticosteroids and hyaluronic acid injections that are possible.  PRP and Bone Marrow Aspiration Concentration Injection is also another option.  Dr. William D. Murrell, Sports Medicine Shoulder Knee Orthopaedic Surgery Dubai United Arab Emirates.  We applaud all the efforts of the investigators as clinical trials require great resources from both the human side, as well as financial.  This study brings us one step closer to having more effective treatments for knee osteoarthritis treatment injections that work in both the short and long-term.

Keywords:  Orthopaedic Surgery, Sports Medicine, Knee surgery, ACL Surgery, meniscus, transplantation, stem cells, cartilage surgery, shoulder and elbow surgery, infection, antibiotic, rotator cuff surgery, shoulder dislocation surgery, Shoulder separation surgery.