title: Efficacy of treatment with glucosamine sulfate in patients with knee effusion due to osteoarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of anti-inflammatory effect of Glucosamine sulfate (GS) versus diclofenac sodium (DS) in effusion of osteoarthritic knees.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, patients were included in this study from 2007-2010 based on American College of Rheumatology criteria with OA and physical examination in effusion of osteoarthritic knees. The patients were divided into two groups. First group (27 patients) DS was given in doses 75 mg twice daily for ten day. In the group II (25 patients) GS was used in doses of 1500 mg two times daily over the first 12 weeks of the study. A closed aspiration was performed. The knee circumference was measured in patients before and 12 week after treatment. Before and after 12 weeks of treatments, both groups of patients were assessed according to the WOMAC questionnaire of knee pain and function scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison of knee mean circumference between the two groups was not statistically significant before treatment (p=0.938), but significant after treatment (p<0.001). At the end of the 12 week, there was 66.6% complete resolution of effusion in the DS group (18 patients) and 24.0% (6 patients) in the GS group, this was statistically significant (P<0.001). DS groups, results of the beginning and at the end of 12 week measurement showed significant differences in WOMAC pain mean score (P < 0.001) but GS groups not statistically significant (P=0.160). The WOMAC function mean scores in pre and post-treatment periods of follow-up showed significant variation between the two groups (P< 0.001, P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our observations suggest that GS is not able to suppress the progression of adjuvant arthritis in OA with effusion of knee osteoarthritis. GS should not be expected as anti-inflammatory influence as DF in the treatment of OA-related effusion.
authors.affiliation: Murat Korkmaz, Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Bozok University Medical Faculty, Yozgat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.affiliation: Fatih Karaaslan, Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Bozok University Medical Faculty, Yozgat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karaaslan
authors.affiliation: Yalcin Erdogan, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Bozok University Medical Faculty, Yozgat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yalcin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.affiliation: Esef Bolat, Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Bozok University Medical Faculty, Yozgat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esef
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bolat
authors.affiliation: Seyhan Karacavus, Assistant Professor, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Bozok University Medical Faculty, Yozgat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seyhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karacavus
authors.affiliation: Hafize Kizilkaya, Medical doctor, Department of Internal Medicine, Bozok University Medical Faculty, Yozgat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hafize
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kizilkaya
authors.affiliation: Ilhan Gunaydin, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine - Rheumatology, Bozok University Medical Faculty, Yozgat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilhan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gunaydin
keywords: Anti-inflammatory; Effusion; Glucosamine Sulfate; Osteoarthritis