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Effect of intra-articular triamcinolone vs saline on knee cartilage volume and pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized clinical trial

Brief summary, from the abstract

In people with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis and ultrasound signs of synovitis, repeated steroid injections led to more cartilage loss than saline over 2 years and did not improve knee pain.

  • Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 140 patients (mean age 58, 54% women) given intra-articular triamcinolone 40 mg (n=70) or saline (n=70) every 12 weeks for 2 years.
  • The triamcinolone group lost more cartilage thickness: -0.21 mm vs -0.10 mm, a between-group difference of -0.11 mm (95% CI, -0.20 to -0.03 mm).
  • There was no significant difference in knee pain between the two groups.
  • Single 2-year trial; findings argue against using regular steroid injections to protect cartilage in this setting.
Read the original paper
Clinically assessing this area? See the knee special tests.

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