BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common arthropathy and one of the major causes of chronic pain in the elderly population, which may lead to major functional incapacity of these individuals. Aiming at treating pain of elderly patients with knee OA, we have used lysine clonixinate (LC) and have evaluated its effectiveness METHOD: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with 109 elderly patients with knee OA-related pain. Participants were distributed in two groups: Group LC and Group P (placebo), who received tablets to be used three times a day for 30 days. Evaluations were performed initially, 15 days after and at study completion, as to pain intensity at rest, at initial movement, ambulation and joint compression; and the need for additional analgesia, morning stiffness; pain-related functional incapacity, adherence, tolerability and global treatment evaluation. RESULTS: LC has significantly decreased pain at initial movement and ambulation already in the first 15 days, with 30% decrease in protokinetic pain and 31.6% in ambulation, but best results were seen after 30 days, when reductions were 42.3% and 45.5%, respectively. Additional analgesia was significantly lower with LC: 2.6% and 9.5% for groups LC and P, respectively. There were no differences between groups in morning stiffness and functional incapacity. There has been major adherence and tolerability. Global evaluation was favorable to LC, being excellent or good for 50% of patients. CONCLUSION: Lysine clonixinate was effective to treat knee OA-related pain in elderly people.
Analgesia; Elderly; Knee; Lysine clonixinate; Osteoarthritis
