Randomized double-blind crossover study of the efficacy of a tart cherry juice blend in treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee

• Published in: Osteoarthritis and cartilage 2013-08, Vol.21 (8), p.1035-1041
• Main Authors: Schumacher, H.R, Pullman-Mooar, S, Gupta, S.R, Dinnella, J.E, Kim, R, McHugh, M.P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Beverages - adverse effects; Biomarkers - blood; C-reactive protein; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Creatinine - blood; Cross-Over Studies; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Inflammation; Male; Middle Aged; Osteoarthritis, Knee - blood; Osteoarthritis, Knee - diet therapy; Pain Measurement - methods; Patient Compliance; Placebo; Prunus; Rheumatology; Severity of Illness Index; Treatment Outcome; Uric Acid - blood; WOMAC
• ISSN: 1063-4584; 1522-9653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2013.05.009

Summary Objective To assess the efficacy of tart cherry juice in treating pain and other features of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods 58 non-diabetic patients with Kellgren grade 2–3 OA were randomized to begin treatment with cherry juice or placebo. Two 8 oz bottles of tart cherry juice or placebo were consumed daily for 6 weeks with a 1 week washout period before switching treatments (crossover design). Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores and walking times were recorded prior to and after each treatment period. Additionally, plasma urate, creatinine and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were recorded at baseline, after the first treatment period and after the second treatment period. Acetaminophen was allowed as a rescue drug and self reported after each treatment period. Treatment effect was examined with repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) using an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. Results There were five withdrawals during the cherry juice treatment (four adverse events (AEs)) and seven withdrawals during the placebo treatment (three AEs). WOMAC scores decreased significantly ( P