title: Efficacy of porcine placental extracts with hormone therapy for postmenopausal women with knee pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Knee pain related to osteoarthritis increases with age and is more common in middle-aged women. Although hormone replacement therapy (HRT) improves knee pain, women unresponsive to HRT need an effective adjunctive therapy. The aim of this study was to assess whether oral porcine placental extracts (PPE) have an impact on patients with knee pain as an adjunctive therapy combined with HRT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight postmenopausal women with knee pain receiving HRT were enrolled into this open-label, randomized, controlled study. Subjects were randomized into Group 1 (n= 24) or Group 2 (n=24). Subjects in Group 1 were given 3 months open treatment with calcium (260 mg/day) as adjunctive therapy combined with HRT. Group 2 received PPE (9 capsules/day) as adjunctive therapy combined with HRT. Changes in the degree of knee pain were evaluated by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with PPE was significantly effective in reducing the VAS score for knee pain at 4 weeks (p < 0.05), at 8 weeks (p< 0.01) and at 12 weeks (p<0.01), compared with the control group. Interestingly, the effects continued for 4 weeks after cessation of treatment in the PPE group (p< 0.01) compared with the control group. The PPE treatment had no significant adverse effects on blood biochemical and metabolic profiles, especially related to the risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PPE is a possible option as an adjunctive oral supplement in the case of HRT-resistant, long-lasting knee pain.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Koike
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Yamamoto
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Suzuki
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Yamazaki
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Yoshikawa
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Takuma
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Sugiura
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000825:Animal Structures; D000818:Animals; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D017610:Calcium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010924:Placental Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D013552:Swine / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017610:Calcium Compounds; D010924:Placental Extracts