Structural effect of avocado/soybean unsaponifiables on joint space loss in osteoarthritis of the hip

Lequesne M, Maheu E, Cadet C, Dreiser RL · Arthritis and Rheumatism

The predecessor to ERADIAS, with the same shape of result. Overall joint space width change did not differ between groups (p = 0.9 at endpoint). In a **post-hoc** split at the median baseline joint space width, the more severely narrowed half lost 0.43 mm on ASU versus 0.86 mm on placebo (p < 0.01), with no difference in the less affected half. Clinical parameters did not differ throughout.

Population

163 patients with symptomatic primary hip osteoarthritis, 108 radiologically evaluable at ~24 months

Intervention

Avocado/soybean unsaponifiables for 2 years

Comparator

Placebo

Limitations

Described by its own authors as a pilot that failed to demonstrate a structural effect; the positive finding is explicitly post-hoc in a subgroup defined after the fact. Twelve years later ERADIAS was designed to confirm it and its primary endpoint was null.