Clinical efficacy and tolerance of galactosoaminoglucuronoglycan sulfate in the treatment of osteoarthritis.
An open design has been carried out by the authors comparing the efficacy and the tolerance of galactosoaminoglucuronoglycan sulfates (GAGs) with those of ibuprofen lysine in patients affected by osteoarthritis (OA). The experimental group included forty patients of both sexes, aged from 35 to 67 years, with diffuse OA. Ten patients were treated with GAGs administered orally (600-1200 mg/die) and ten patients with GAGs administered intramuscularly (50-100 mg/die); likewise for the ibuprofen therapy two subgroups were formed, such that ten patients were given the drug orally (1500-2500 mg/die) and ten patients had intramuscular therapy (400-800 mg/die). The treatment lasted 40 days. The parameters considered were: pain at rest, pain on pressure, pain on active movement and pain on passive movement. Tolerance was considered by carrying out some routinary laboratory tests and a careful clinical and anamnestic examination. At the end of the study, an improvement in all the clinical variables considered was found in both groups of patients, with no significant differences between the oral and the intramuscular administrations. With regard to tolerance, it must be noted that 10% of the patients in each of the two considered groups patients suffered from gastro-intestinal diseases (pain, nausea, pyrosis). The results achieved, therefore, confirm the efficacy and above all the good tolerance of GAGs in the treatment of OA, characteristics of particular importance for a drug designed for the therapy of a chronic pathology such as OA.
Fioravanti
A
A
Institute of Rheumatology, University of Siena, Italy.
Franci
A
A
Anselmi
F
F
Fattorini
L
L
Marcolongo
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008239:Lysine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D008239:Lysine; C016106:solufenum; D007052:Ibuprofen