CLINICAL EFFICACY OF THE DRUG STRUCTUM IN OSTEOARTHRITIS THERAPY (results of multicenlral clinical study in Russia)

Objective. Study of the efficacy and tolerability of Structum in pts with gonarthritis and coxarthritis during 6 months therapy. Material. Open multicentral study included off -patients of both sexes with osteoarthritis (ОЛ) of knee and hip joints with obvious pain syndrome - pain in walking 30 mm and more on visual analog scale, functional Lesquene index more or equal to 4 and less or equal toll, regular NSAIDs taking for 30 days for the last 3 months, radiological I-II-III OA stage according Kellgren-Lawrence and consent of the patient for the study. Total number of pts included was 555 and 192 out of them were experimental group and 363 - controls. Pts from experimental group had Structum - three capsules in the morning and 3 capsules in the evening during meals (one capsule - 250 mg) for 3 weeks, then 2 capsules in the morning and 2 in the evening for 21 weeks. Clinical examination of pts was done after the third and sixth month of the treatment. Results. During Structum therapy reliable lessening of pain syndrome in knee and hip joints, improvement of articular function, decrease of NSAIDs dosage or their full cancellation were demonstrated. It was noticed that the assessment of clinical Structum efficacy and tolerability bu physician and patient coincided. Conclusion. Structum (chondroitin sulfate) is a new effective drug for treatment of osteoarthritis of knee and hip joints with high clinical efficacy and good tolerabilit