title: Magnetic resonance therapy for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double blind placebo controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Therapeutic nuclear magnetic resonance therapy (MRT) works based on the electromagnetic fields.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate efficacy of MRT in knee osteoarthritis (OA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient clinic, university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who had mild to moderate knee OA at a single knee joint and between 30-75-years-old were randomized by blinded chip cards (1:1).
  
  
  METHODS
  The treatment group received ten sessions of one hour daily MRT, controls received placebo MRT. All patients underwent clinical examination at baseline, after 2 weeks, and 12 weeks. Imaging included blindly assessed ultrasonography and magnetic resonance (MR) of the knee.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-seven patients completed the study. Both groups improved significantly but the average change from baseline in outcome parameters was similar in MRT group (on VAS-pain,-2.6; WOMAC-pain, -2.09; WOMAC-stiffness, -1.81; WOMAC-physical, -1.96) compared to placebo after two weeks (VAS-pain,-1.6; WOMAC-pain, -1.91; WOMAC-stiffness, -1.27; WOMAC-physical, -1.54). Also changes were quite similar at the 12th week after the treatment. SF-36 components at 12th week improved but changes were not significant. Imaging arm also failed to show significant differences between groups in terms of cartilage thickness on US and MR scores. No adverse events were recorded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MRT is safe, but not superior to placebo in terms of improvement in clinical or imaging parameters after a 10-day course of treatment in mild to moderate knee OA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study does not promote use of a 10-day course of MRT in mild to moderate knee OA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Erciyes University, Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey - sozgocmen@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Nurgül
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gökşen
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Çaliş
authors.forename: Serap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doğan
authors.forename: Havva T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Çaliş
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Özgöçmen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008280:Magnetics / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods