A commonly used arthritis medication failed to improve symptoms in people with a specific form of knee osteoarthritis, according to an article published June 2 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
In a randomized clinical trial, researchers tested low-dose methotrexate, a drug often prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis, in 215 patients with inflammatory knee osteoarthritis and effusion-synovitis. The trial was conducted across 11 sites in China between 2019 and 2023, with more than 80% of enrolled participants completing the study.
Over the 52-week trial, the study showed there was no statistically significant difference in pain or joint swelling between the methotrexate and a placebo.
Specifically, researchers found no difference in knee pain scores and in the area of effusion-synovitis, suggesting the drug did not provide meaningful symptom relief or disease modification.
