I Have Arthritis
Chondroitin Sulfate Helps Those Afflicted With Arthritis In The Hands... http://www.swansonvitamins.com/health-library/articles/joint-health/chondroitin-sulfate-eases-osteoarthritis-stiffness.html?SourceCode=INTHIR434
Chondroitin Sulfate Eases Osteoarthritis Stiffness
September 2011
Results of the Finger osteoArthritis Chondroitin Treatment Study (FACTS) show that daily supplementation with chondroitin sulfate may ease pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA) in the hand and reduce stiffness in the morning.
Results published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism indicate that daily supplements of chondroitin sulfate (CS) were associated with an 8.7 decrease on a well-established scale of pain.
In addition, researchers from the University Hospitals of Geneva in Switzerland report that the supplements were associated with improvements in hand function.
"Our findings show chondroitin sulfate is a safe and effective treatment for patients with hand OA," said Cem Gabay, MD, lead researcher of the study.
"Alternative therapies, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), provide similar pain-reducing effects, but with considerably more long-term toxicities."
FACTS included 162 patients with osteoarthritis of the hand. They were randomly assigned to receive either 800 mg per day of chondroitin sulfate or placebo for six months.
At the end of the study, the researchers report that the chondroitin sulfate group had significant decrease in global hand pain compared with the placebo group.
In addition, hand function also improved significantly, as did morning stiffness.
"Whether this statistically significant difference has a clinical impact remains to be shown," wrote the researchers. "However, the presence of a positive effect on the evolution of [hand function] at six months is indicative of a positive clinical effect of CS in this study population."
Arthritis & Rheumatism; Published online ahead of print.
Chondroitin Sulfate Eases Osteoarthritis Stiffness
September 2011
Results of the Finger osteoArthritis Chondroitin Treatment Study (FACTS) show that daily supplementation with chondroitin sulfate may ease pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA) in the hand and reduce stiffness in the morning.
Results published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism indicate that daily supplements of chondroitin sulfate (CS) were associated with an 8.7 decrease on a well-established scale of pain.
In addition, researchers from the University Hospitals of Geneva in Switzerland report that the supplements were associated with improvements in hand function.
"Our findings show chondroitin sulfate is a safe and effective treatment for patients with hand OA," said Cem Gabay, MD, lead researcher of the study.
"Alternative therapies, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), provide similar pain-reducing effects, but with considerably more long-term toxicities."
FACTS included 162 patients with osteoarthritis of the hand. They were randomly assigned to receive either 800 mg per day of chondroitin sulfate or placebo for six months.
At the end of the study, the researchers report that the chondroitin sulfate group had significant decrease in global hand pain compared with the placebo group.
In addition, hand function also improved significantly, as did morning stiffness.
"Whether this statistically significant difference has a clinical impact remains to be shown," wrote the researchers. "However, the presence of a positive effect on the evolution of [hand function] at six months is indicative of a positive clinical effect of CS in this study population."
Arthritis & Rheumatism; Published online ahead of print.
