title: Comments on the discordant recommendations for the use of symptomatic slow-acting drugs in knee osteoarthritis.
abstract: Despite the near concurrent publication by influential scientific organizations, there are important differences in interpretation of the evidence base and the conclusions derived from the recent Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) guidelines for the management of knee osteoarthritis, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines (concerning also hip and hand osteoarthritis) and the algorithm recommendations by the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO). This is particularly evident for the drug class of symptomatic slow-acting drugs in osteoarthritis. In this paper, we highlight these differences and try to understand where they derive from, proposing an evidence-based interpretation.
authors.affiliation: Support Unit in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège , Liège , Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Reginster
authors.forename: Cyrus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hochberg
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pelletier
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rizzoli
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kanis
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abadie
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maheu
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Brandi
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Devogelaer
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Branco
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herrero-Beaumont
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Hooghe
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bruyère
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations
keywords: Chondroitin; Glucosamine; Hyaluronic acid; Osteoarthritis; Symptomatic slow-acting drugs in osteoarthritis