Efficacy and safety of avocado-soybean unsaponifiables for the treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials

Simental-Mendía M, Sánchez-García A, Acosta-Olivo CA, Vilchez-Cavazos F, Osuna-Garate J, Peña-Martínez VM, Simental-Mendía LE · International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases

Pooled pain reduction of −9.64 mm on VAS (95% CI −17.43 to −1.84, p = 0.02) with very high heterogeneity (I² = 92%). Split by joint, ASU reduced both VAS (−17.36 mm, 95% CI −25.91 to −8.82) and Lequesne index (−2.33, −2.88 to −1.78) in **knee** osteoarthritis and neither in hip. Adverse events matched placebo (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.83-1.25).

Population

Randomized placebo-controlled trials of oral ASU with Lequesne index, VAS or joint space width outcomes

Intervention

Oral avocado-soybean unsaponifiables

Comparator

Placebo

Limitations

I² of 92% on the primary outcome. The knee-versus-hip split is a subgroup analysis, and it disagrees in emphasis with where the structural trials were run — both of those were in hips.