title: Positive side effects of Ca antagonists for osteoarthritic joints-results of an in vivo pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We have shown previously that some calcium antagonists inhibit hyaluronan export, loss of proteoglycans, and degradation of collagen from osteoarthritic cartilage. Clinically approved calcium antagonists normally are prescribed for cardiac arrhythmia. In the present study, we compared the effect of these drugs on osteoarthritic patients which had received no medication and patients which were also diagnosed for cardiac arrhythmias and were treated with calcium antagonists. The effects and the side effects of the used drugs were analyzed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the Lequesne questionnaire to examine patients with osteoarthritis (212 patients, control group receiving no calcium antagonists) and patients with cardiac arrhythmia and osteoarthritis (188 patients treated with various calcium antagonists). The answers of the questionnaires were transformed into the Lequesne scoring system quantifying the severity of the disease. The Lequesne score is a standardized questionnaire focused on osteoarthritis. It is a 24-scale questionary in which low scores indicate low functional activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data showed that the mean score of the control group (6.2) was higher than the treated group (5.2), the drugs differed in their efficiency. Verapamil had a slightly worse score and Azupamil, Escor, Felodipine, and Nifedipine showed no alteration. Adalat, Amlodipine, Carmen, Nitrendipin, and Norvasc lead to an improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that inhibition of hyaluronan export may have a beneficial effect on human osteoarthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Annastift Hanover (Medical School Hanover; MHH), Anna-von-Borries-Strasse 1-7, 30625, Hannover, Germany. Kraj@gmx.net.
authors.forename: Kiriakos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Daniilidis
authors.affiliation: Radiologie am Theater, Neuer Platz 4, 33098, Paderborn, Germany. philip.georges@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Georges
authors.affiliation: Sporthopaedicum Straubing/Regensburg, Bahnhofplatz 27, D-94315, Straubing, Germany. info@rad-pb.de.
authors.forename: Carsten O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Tibesku
authors.affiliation: Institute for Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty University of Münster, Münster, Germany. peter.prehm@uk-muenster.de.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prehm
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers