In a phase 3 randomized controlled trial, methotrexate was found to alleviate pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis when added to usual analgesia. The study included 155 patients with knee osteoarthritis in the UK who had an inadequate response to their current medication. At 6 months, the methotrexate group saw a greater decrease in knee pain compared to the placebo group. Benefits of methotrexate were also observed in terms of stiffness and physical function scores, but differences between groups were no longer significant at 12 months. Further research is needed to understand dosing, potential benefits in patients with elevated inflammation levels, and cost-effectiveness before introducing this therapy to a larger population. The study was led by Sarah R. Kingsbury of the University of Leeds and was funded by Versus Arthritis.
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Old Drug to the Rescue for Painful Knee Osteoarthritis
