Chondroitin sulfate and/or glucosamine hydrochloride for Kashin-Beck disease:
a cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled study
J. Yue y Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2012 Jul;20(7):622-9.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of chondroitin sulfate and/or glucosamine hydrochloride in
alleviating symptoms and improving the dysfunction of Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) patients.
Methods: We undertook a cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 251 patients with KBD.
Participants were randomly allocated to comparing (1) chondroitin sulfate, (2) glucosamine hydrochloride,
(3) a combination of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine hydrochloride, or (4) placebo, for 6
months duration. The primary outcome measures of interest were 20% and 50% reductions in pain from
baseline, measured by pain subscale in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis
(WOMAC) Index. Secondary outcome measures included parameters in the WOMAC Index such as pain,
stiffness, and physical function, as well as patients’ quality of life by the 12-item Short-Form General
Health Survey. The trial registration number is ChiCTR-TRC-11001480 (http://www.chictr.org/).
Results: A combination therapy of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine hydrochloride was effective in
reducing WOMAC pain by 20% (differences of 23.4%, P¼ 0.006) and 50% (differences of 15.7%, P¼ 0.016),
WOMAC pain (P¼ 0.032), WOMAC stiffness (P¼ 0.043), and WOMAC total score (P ¼ 0.035).
Chondroitin sulfate used alone was also found to be effective in reducing WOMAC total score and stiffness score
(P¼ 0.038 and P¼ 0.023, respectively). No significant positive effects in improving WOMAC Index scores
were observed with glucosamine hydrochloride alone.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that a combination of of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine
hydrochloride was more effective than placebo in treating KBD.
