The results of a two-year representative study of osteoarthritis of the knee, published in the internationally renowned journal "Osteoarthritis and Cartilage", confirm the safety and effectiveness of Orthokine therapy, in which anti inflammatory proteins obtained from the patient's own blood are injected into the arthritic joint.
Researchers at Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf conducted a long-term study to determine the most effective treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee joint. They compared the effects of injections of Orthokine, hyaluronic acid and placebo in 310 arthritis patients over a two-year period. Hyaluronic acid, a joint lubricant, is widely used to treat arthritis. Saline was used as the placebo. "The two-year results confirm our previous studies: Orthokine therapy provides long-term relief from pain and joint dysfunction in many patients and does so more effectively than comparable treatments", said Prof. Peter Wehling, chairman of the board of Orthogen AG, on Friday in Düsseldorf.
Two years after the series of injections, patients treated with Orthokine scored substantially better than those treated with hyaluronic acid or placebo on measures of pain and joint function. "Long-term treatment effects take on particular importance for patients suffering from arthritis, since this is a chronic condition. Improvement in the symptoms of osteoarthritis means an improvement in patients' quality of life", notes study physician Carsten Moser, MD. The results are also of wider interest as arthritis affects at least 200 million people worldwide. Arthritis treatments whose effectiveness is highly controversial and that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), in some cases can result in serious side effects.