In the millennium, the health care system in the United States will be forced to focus on managing chronic illness and preventing disability in the increasing aging population. Osteoarthritis (OA), particularly of the knee and hip, is the most common chronic condition and the leading cause of disability among older adults. Current treatment regimens either provide only temporary relief with medications or require surgical intervention. Such treatments can be costly in terms of adverse effects and rehabilitation. In addition, more people are spending money to obtain dietary supplements to manage their symptoms related to OA and other chronic illnesses, Although glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate (GCS) has shown some effectiveness in relieving arthritic pain, its use has not been supported by the American College of Rheumatology. The purpose of this study is to determine if oral GCS results in functional, global, and structural improvement. The proposed study is a randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled study with repeated measures. The sample will consist of twenty persons 50 years and older with osteoarthritis in at least one knee. Subjects in experimental and control groups will receive GCS and a placebo, respectively, for six months. Subjects in both groups will be provided with placebo for the 3 months until follow-up assessment to prevent them from crossing over. Dependent measures include: 1) range of motion, gait balance, and strength of the affected knee joint for measuring functional improvement; 2) severity of osteoarthritis, pain distress, and quality of life for measuring global improvement; and 3) MRI of the knee for measuring structural improvement. This study fills an important gap in our knowledge about the effect of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate and may show effects that will impact intervention in persons with OA in the future. In particular, the proposed study will provide nurses with the data necessary to determine whether or not to recommend GCS as a treatment for their patients with OA. If GCS successfully decreases pain and slows down the joint degenerating process, OA patients may be more likely to comply with non-pharmacological treatments such as exercise.
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