A retrospective observational study of glucosamine sulfate in addition to conventional therapy in hand osteoarthritis patients compared to conventional treatment alone

Background The optimal management of hand osteoarthritis (HOA) is still challenging. Aim To evaluate the effects of glucosamine sulfate (GS) in addition to conventional therapy compared to conventional therapy alone in HOA. Methods This 6-month retrospective study included 108 patients with concomitant knee and hand OA. Fifty-five patients (GS Group) were treated for six consecutive months with crystalline GS (1500 mg once/day) in addition to conventional therapy for HOA [exercise combined with acetaminophen and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)] and 53 patients (Control Group) with the conventional therapy alone. Primary outcomes were the difference between groups in the change of hand pain on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and in the Functional Index for Hand Osteoarthritis (FIHOA) from baseline to 6 months. Secondary outcomes were Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), medical outcomes study 36-item short form (SF-36) and symptomatic drug consumption. Results The patients who received GS presented a significant decrease (p < 0.001) in VAS pain and FIHOA scores compared with the Control Group at 3 and 6 months. Furthermore, GS therapy was associated to a significant improvement of HAQ score and to a significant reduction of acetaminophen and NSAID consumption during the follow-up. No differences in the number of side effects were observed between the groups. Discussion GS could represent a potential successful therapy for HOA and should be tried in large randomized placebo and active controlled trials. Conclusions The combination of GS with conventional treatment seems to be more effective in improving pain and function than conventional HOA treatment alone.