RESUMEN
Objective: While the effect of triamcinolone acetonide extended-release (TA-ER) on reducing knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain has been reported, the effects on physical performance are incompletely understood. This open label clinical trial systematically evaluated the effects of intra-articular TA-ER on physical performance, self-reported function, and quality of life in participants with bilateral symptomatic knee OA 6, 12 (primary) and 24 weeks following bilateral injection of TA-ER (32 âmg). Methods: Seventy participants were enrolled (61.4% women; age 64.0 â± â11.7; BMI 31.8 â± â5.7 âkg/m2). Physical performance was measured by 30-s chair stand test, 40 âm fast paced walk test (FPWT), and stair negotiation test at baseline and each follow-up visit. Physical function and quality of life (QOL) were measured with the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS-PS) and pain was measured with numeric rating scale (NRS). Results: In comparison with baseline, self-reported pain, function, and quality of life were improved at each follow-up through 24 weeks and the number of chair-stands significantly improved following treatment by (mean â± âSE) 1.9 â± â0.6 âat 6-week (p â= â0.0048) and by 1.8 â± â0.5 âat 12-week follow-up (p â= â0.0011) but was not statistically significant at 24-week follow-up (0.6 â± â0.6; p â= â0.4711). Stair negotiation times were 7.2 â± â3.7, 7.1 â± â3.8, and 5.4 â± â4.0 âs lower at the three respective follow-up timepoints, although these changes did not reach statistical significance (p â= â0.0530, p â= â0.0599, and p â= â0.1793 respectively). The 40m-FPWT time did not significantly improve. Conclusion: These data indicate improvement in chair stand performance through 12 weeks post-injection and sustained improvement in participant-reported physical function through 24-week follow-up in adults with bilateral painful knee OA treated with TA-ER.