Condition

Osteoarthritis

Clinical trials and treatment information for Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease and the most common form of arthritis.

520M
People Affected
80
Active Trials
30M
New Cases/Year
83K
Deaths/Year

Treatment Rankings

Ranked by evidence volume first. Medicine has spent centuries ranking things by vibes. This is an improvement.

1
Weight Management (Diet & Exercise)
88% Effectiveness• 95% Confidence• 95% Safety• 16 trials• 80K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: Achieve 5-10% body weight loss, then maintain
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
95
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

3-6 months

Duration

Lifetime

Response Rate

75%

Remission Rate

%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

3

Common Side Effects:

Fatigue/hunger (initial): 25%
Nutrient deficiencies (if diet not well-balanced): 0.5%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$0

Monitoring

$1,200

Side Effects

$0

Total Annual

$1,200

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.2

ICER

$-5,000/QALY

Cost per Responder

$667

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Body Weight95 kg
-9% (-8.55 kg)
Knee Pain (WOMAC Pain Subscale)WOMAC Pain subscale: 12/20
-25% (-3 points)
Physical Function (WOMAC Physical Function Subscale)WOMAC Physical Function subscale: 45/68
-18% (-8.1 points)
Knee Stiffness (WOMAC Stiffness Subscale)WOMAC Stiffness subscale: 6/8
-20% (-1.2 points)
Secondary Benefits
Quality of Life (SF-36 Physical Component Summary)SF-36 PCS: 35
+12% (+4.2 points)
C-reactive protein (CRP)3.5 mg/L
-25% (-0.88 mg/L)
6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT)350 meters
+15% (+52.5 meters)
Common Side Effects
Fatigue/hunger (initial)
+25%
Nutrient deficiencies (if diet not well-balanced)
+0.5%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
2
Exercise and Physical Therapy
85% Effectiveness• 90% Confidence• 95% Safety• 430 trials• 50K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: 30-60 minutes, 3-5 times per week
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
95
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

4-12 weeks

Duration

Initial 8-12 weeks, then ongoing

Response Rate

70%

Remission Rate

%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

4

Common Side Effects:

Muscle soreness: 30%
Temporary joint pain increase: 15%
Minor injury (sprain/strain): 5%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$0

Monitoring

$1,200

Side Effects

$50

Total Annual

$1,250

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.1

ICER

$10,000/QALY

Cost per Responder

$1,143

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
WOMAC Pain Subscale ScoreWOMAC Pain score: 14/20
-25% (-3.5 points)
WOMAC Physical Function Subscale ScoreWOMAC Physical Function score: 50/68
-20% (-10 points)
Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Pain ScoreVAS Pain score: 7/10
-28% (-2.0 points)
Secondary Benefits
SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS) ScoreSF-36 PCS score: 35/100
+12% (+4.2 points)
Quadriceps Muscle StrengthPeak isometric quadriceps torque: 80 Nm
+15% (+12 Nm)
6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) Distance6MWT distance: 300 meters
+12% (+36 meters)
Common Side Effects
Muscle soreness
+30%
Temporary joint pain increase
+15%
Minor injury (sprain/strain)
+5%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
3
Oral NSAIDs (e.g., Ibuprofen, Naproxen)
75% Effectiveness• 85% Confidence• 75% Safety• 1500 trials• 300K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: Ibuprofen 200-800mg 3x daily, Naproxen 250-500mg 2x daily
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
75
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

Immediate to 1-2 days

Duration

As needed or daily for chronic pain

Response Rate

65%

Remission Rate

%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

4

Number Needed to Harm (NNH)

150

Common Side Effects:

GI upset (nausea, heartburn): 15%
GI bleed/ulcer: 3%
Increased blood pressure: 7%
Kidney dysfunction: 3%
Cardiovascular events: 0.75%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$75

Monitoring

$100

Side Effects

$200

Total Annual

$375

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.08

ICER

$20,000/QALY

Cost per Responder

$577

Treatment Outcomes
Efficacy Outcomes
Overall Effectiveness
+75%
Response Rate
+65%
Common Side Effects
GI upset (nausea, heartburn)
+15%
GI bleed/ulcer
+3%
Increased blood pressure
+7%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
4
Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injections (IACI)
70% Effectiveness• 85% Confidence• 60% Safety• 2 trials• 50K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: Triamcinolone 20-40mg or Methylprednisolone 40-80mg per joint
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
60
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

1-2 days

Duration

Repeated every 3-4 months, limited to 3-4 per year

Response Rate

75%

Remission Rate

%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

3

Common Side Effects:

Post-injection flare: 15%
Infection: 0.05%
Skin atrophy/depigmentation: 3%
Elevated blood glucose (in diabetics): 7%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$600

Monitoring

$1,200

Side Effects

$50

Total Annual

$1,850

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.07

ICER

$25,000/QALY

Cost per Responder

$867

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Knee Pain (NRS 0-10)7.0/10
-40% (-2.8 points)
WOMAC Total Score (0-68 points)45.0/68 points
-30% (-13.5 points)
Patient Global Assessment (PGA, 0-100 mm VAS)65 mm
-35% (-22.75 mm)
Secondary Benefits
Quality of Life (EQ-5D VAS, 0-100)55/100
+18% (+9.9 points)
WOMAC Physical Function Subscale (0-68 points)30.0/68 points
-25% (-7.5 points)
Morning Stiffness Duration60 minutes
-33% (-20 minutes)
Common Side Effects
Post-injection flare
+15%
Infection
+0.05%
Skin atrophy/depigmentation
+3%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
5
Topical NSAIDs (e.g., Diclofenac gel)
70% Effectiveness• 80% Confidence• 80% Safety• 200 trials• 40K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: Apply 2-4g to affected joint 3-4 times daily
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
80
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

1-2 weeks

Duration

Ongoing as needed

Response Rate

65%

Remission Rate

%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

5

Common Side Effects:

Skin irritation (rash, itching): 15%
Dry skin: 7%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$150

Monitoring

$1,200

Side Effects

$50

Total Annual

$1,400

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.06

ICER

$15,000/QALY

Cost per Responder

$308

Treatment Outcomes
Efficacy Outcomes
Overall Effectiveness
+70%
Response Rate
+65%
Common Side Effects
Skin irritation (rash, itching)
+15%
Dry skin
+7%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
6
Duloxetine (SNRI)
68% Effectiveness• 75% Confidence• 60% Safety• 3 trials• 10K participants
MODERATE EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: 30-60mg daily
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Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
60
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

2-4 weeks

Duration

Ongoing

Response Rate

55%

Remission Rate

%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

8

Common Side Effects:

Nausea: 15%
Dry mouth: 12%
Constipation: 12%
Fatigue/insomnia: 7%
Dizziness: 7%
Increased blood pressure: 3%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$900

Monitoring

$1,200

Side Effects

$100

Total Annual

$2,200

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.07

ICER

$40,000/QALY

Cost per Responder

$1,818

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
WOMAC Pain Subscale Score12.5/20
-20% (-2.5 points)
WOMAC Physical Function Subscale Score40/68
-17.5% (-7 points)
BPI Average Pain Severity6.0/10
-20% (-1.2 points)
Secondary Benefits
SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS)35/100
+11.4% (+4 points)
PHQ-9 Score (Depressive Symptoms)12/27
-33.3% (-4 points)
BPI Pain Interference with Sleep7.0/10
-21.4% (-1.5 points)
Common Side Effects
Nausea
+15%
Dry mouth
+12%
Constipation
+12%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
7
Acetaminophen (Paracetamol)
60% Effectiveness• 85% Confidence• 80% Safety• 72 trials• 100K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: 325-1000mg up to 4x daily, max 4000mg/day
Find Trials

Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
80
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

30-60 minutes

Duration

As needed or daily for chronic pain

Response Rate

55%

Remission Rate

%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

7

Common Side Effects:

Nausea: 7%
Liver damage (with overdose): 0.1%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$30

Monitoring

$1,200

Side Effects

$0

Total Annual

$1,230

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.05

ICER

$5,000/QALY

Cost per Responder

$55

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
WOMAC Pain Subscale Score55/100
-12% (-6.6 points)
WOMAC Physical Function Subscale Score50/100
-9% (-4.5 points)
Patient Global Assessment of Disease Activity60 mm (0-100 mm VAS)
-10% (-6 mm)
Secondary Benefits
WOMAC Stiffness Subscale Score45/100
-7% (-3.15 points)
SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS) Score40 points (0-100)
+5% (+2 points)
Common Side Effects
Nausea
+7%
Liver damage (with overdose)
+0.1%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4