Semaglutide Reduces Obesity-Related Knee Osteoarthritis, Study Says

(RTTNews) - A randomized trial, funded by Novo Nordisk (NVO), found that semaglutide is beneficial for pain reductions in obese people with knee osteoarthritis.

The study was conducted by Henning Bliddal from the Copenhagen University Hospital at Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg in Denmark, and his colleagues.

They conducted a 68-week trial at 61 sites in 11 countries, involving 407 participants with obesity and a clinical and radiologic diagnosis of moderate knee osteoarthritis with at least moderate pain.

The participants were randomly assigned to receive once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide or placebo in a 2:1 ratio. Additionally, they were given counseling on physical activity and a reduced-calorie diet.

From baseline to week 68, the researchers noted mean change in body weight of -13.7 and -3.2 percent in semaglutide and placebo groups, respectively.

At week 68, the mean change in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index pain score was -41.7 and -27.5 points with semaglutide and placebo groups, respectively.

"The findings support the use of once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide at a dose of 2.4 mg for weight management and treatment of pain in persons with obesity and moderate-to-severe pain due to knee osteoarthritis," the authors concluded.