Efficacy of hypertonic dextrose (prolotherapy) in early knee osteoarthritis: a short term outcome

Anshul Sethi; Muzaffar Mushtaq; Pankaj Dagar; Abdul Basit; Owais A. Qureshi

doi:10.18203/issn.2455-4510.IntJResOrthop20243122

Authors

Anshul Sethi University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, India https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6754-8855
Muzaffar Mushtaq Hamdard Institute of Medical Science and Research, Delhi, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5369-2421
Pankaj Dagar ESIC Medical College, Faridabad, Haryana, India
Abdul Basit SKIMS Medical College, Bemina, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Owais A. Qureshi Hamdard Institute of Medical Science and Research, Delhi, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5227-2169

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2455-4510.IntJResOrthop20243122

Keywords:

Knee osteoarthritis, Dextrose prolotherapy, WOMAC, Visual analog scale, Pain management, Treatment efficacy

Abstract

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent, painful, and progressive condition significantly affecting patients' quality of life and imposing a social and economic burden. Traditionally managed through symptom relief and joint function improvement, research is increasingly focusing on disease-modifying treatments. Dextrose prolotherapy, a low-cost alternative involving the injection of a hypertonic solution, has shown promise despite limited acceptance in current guidelines.

Methods: This prospective cohort study, approved by the Institutional Ethical Board of Jamia Hamdard University, assessed the effects of 12.5% hypertonic dextrose prolotherapy in 92 patients with knee OA. Patients received injections at multiple sites over a 6-week period. Outcomes were evaluated using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores at baseline, 4, 8, 16, and 24 weeks.

Results: Significant improvements were observed in both WOMAC and VAS scores. WOMAC scores decreased from 53.83 to 26.70 (p<0.0001), and VAS scores dropped from 7.12 to 3.06 (p<0.0001) at the 24-week follow-up. No major complications were noted, with minimal adverse effects reported. Improvement was consistent across all OA grades.

Conclusions: Dextrose prolotherapy demonstrated substantial, sustained improvements in pain and function in knee OA patients. Given its safety, low cost, and efficacy, it represents a viable therapeutic option, especially in resource-constrained settings. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings and optimize treatment protocols.

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