[Assessment of the placebo effect of symptomatic slow-acting anti-arthritics].
OBJECTIVE
Assess the importance of the mid-term placebo effect of symptomatic slow acting drugs given for osteoarthritis.


METHODS
We analyzed six controlled trials available in the literature. Trial duration ranged from 2 to 6 months. The trials had been conducted to assess the symptomatic effect of diacerhein, avocado/soya unsaponifiable chondrontin sulfate and oxaceprolin given for osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. The main clinical outcomes assessed were functional impairment using the Lequesnes index and a visual analog scale.


RESULTS
Globally, the trials showed decreased function impairment with a 2 to 3 points decrease in the Lequesnes index (15 to 20%) and a 10 to 16 mm fall in the visual analog scale (-20 to -30%) in the placebo groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings confirms the importance of the mid-term placebo effect in the clinical course of osteoarthritis in patients given slow-acting drugs. This placebo effect, observed under these circumstances, is an expression of what clinicians will look for in future drugs and should be helpful for calculating the number of patients required in future trials.
Laboratoire de Thérapeutique et de Méthodologie des Essais Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine de Marseille.
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P
Villani
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Bouvenot
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015990:Placebo Effect; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000880:Anthraquinones; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; C025292:diacerein; D002809:Chondroitin Sulfates; C012393:oxaceprol; D006909:Hydroxyproline
Approche de l'intensité de l'effet placebo dans l'évaluation des anti-arthrosiques symptomatiques d'action lente.