A multicenter, prospective, observational, cohort study depicted that in routine clinical practice, long-term usage of oral Glucosamine hydrochloride and Chondroitin sulfate was linked to pain reduction, decreased reliance on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) therapy, and improvements in joint function and quality of life (QOL) for individuals battling osteoarthritis of hip and knee. The researchers sought to examine how the use of Glucosamine + Chondroitin sulfate affected the clinical endpoints of osteoarthritis patients.

In total, 1102 subjects of both genders diagnosed with knee or hip osteoarthritis at Kellgren & Lawrence grades I-III were included in the study. On average, the patients were 60.4 years old, with a majority being women (87.8%), and had an average body mass index of 29.49 kg/m2. These patients initiated treatment with oral capsules containing 500 mg of Glucosamine hydrochloride and 400 mg of Chondroitin sulfate, following the recommended regimen of three capsules daily for three weeks, followed by a reduced dosage of two capsules daily before entering the study.

The minimum recommended treatment duration was 3-6 months. Over the course of the study, which spanned up to 54-64 weeks and included a total of four visits, alterations in subscale scores (Pain, Symptoms, Function, and QOL) were assessed using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) questionnaires. The study also examined patient satisfaction with their treatment, data on the combined oral use of Glucosamine hydrochloride and Chondroitin sulfate, concurrent use of NSAIDs, and any reported adverse events (AEs).

Significant improvements were observed in all subscale scores (Pain, Symptoms, Function, and QOL) measured by the KOOS and HOOS questionnaires. For those having knee osteoarthritis, the mean score elevations from baseline to the end of Week 64 were 22.87, 20.78, 16.60, and 24.87 for the Pain, Symptoms, Physical Function (KOOS-PS), and QOL subscales, respectively. Similarly, for those having hip osteoarthritis, the mean score elevations were 22.81, 19.93, 18.77, and 22.71 for the Pain, Symptoms, Physical Function (HOOS-PS), and QOL subscales, respectively. As found, the percentage of subjects using NSAIDs dropped considerably from 43.1% to 13.5%.

Treatment-related AEs occurred in 2.8% of the patients, primarily involving gastrointestinal issues (25 AEs in 24 patients, accounting for 2.2% of the total). The majority of patients (78.1%) expressed satisfaction with the treatment. Long-term use of oral Glucosamine + Chondroitin sulfate in routine clinical practice was linked to reduced pain, decreased reliance on concomitant NSAID therapy, improved joint function, and enhanced QOL for patients battling knee and hip osteoarthritis.