Dextrose prolotherapy for knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial

Rabago D, Patterson JJ, Mundt M, et al. · Annals of Family Medicine

WOMAC composite improved 15.3 points with prolotherapy vs 7.6 (saline) and 8.2 (exercise) at 52 weeks (P<.05), exceeding the MCID. No adverse events.

Population

90 adults with >=3 months of painful knee OA

Intervention

Intra- and extra-articular hypertonic dextrose injections at weeks 1, 5, 9 (optional weeks 13, 17)

Comparator

Saline injections or at-home exercise

Limitations

Modest n per arm; injector could not be blinded to needle contents preparation; single site.