Results from a recent
clinical trial published by Wiley in Arthritis & Rheumatology demonstrate
that patients with knee osteoarthritis experience short term pain relief from
genicular nerve blocks-or locally injected anesthetics that block nerves around
the knee joint.
In the trial, 59 patients
were randomized to receive a nerve block or a placebo injection. At baseline
and weeks 2, 4, 8 and 12, participants recorded their pain on a scale of 0 to
10.
Patients who received a
nerve block reported improvement in pain scores at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks,
compared with baseline, but with diminishing effects over time. Scores for
nerve block versus placebo at baseline, weeks 2, 4, 8 and 12 were: 6.2 versus
5.3, 2.7 versus 4.7, 3.2 versus 5.1, 3.9 versus 4.9, and 4.6 versus 5.1,
respectively. Most patients who received the blocks felt they had improved or
greatly improved from baseline during the follow up period.
“This study demonstrates
that genicular nerve block is an effective short-term therapy for pain management
in people with knee osteoarthritis,” said corresponding author Ernst M.
Shanahan, BMBS, MPH, MHPE, PhD, FAFOEM, FRACP, of Flinders University, in
Australia. “We think it may be a useful treatment option for this group of
people, in particular those waiting for, or wishing to defer surgery.”
Reference:
“Genicular nerve block for
pain management in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A randomised
placebo-controlled trial.” Ernst M. Shanahan, Lucinda Robinson, Suellen Lyne,
Richard Woodman, Fin Cai, Kokum Dissanayake, Kate Paddick, Giovanna Cheung, and
Frank Voyvodic. Arthritis & Rheumatology; Published Online: November 12,
2022 (DOI: 10.1002/art.42384).