Effectiveness of a novel hydrolysate collagen formulation in the complex treatment and rehabilitation of patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis is a chronic disease that can eventually lead to surgical arthroplasty. Overuse, inflammation, metabolic disorders, and hormonal changes play important roles in the pathogenetic development of osteoarthritis of the knee. Recent studies have shown that collagen hydrolysate slows down the degenerative processes in cartilage tissue and has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. AIMS: To examine the effect of a dietary supplement of collagen hydrolysate (COLLA GEN) on the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective, blinded, placebo-controlled study included 99 patients diagnosed with radiographic knee osteoarthritis. All patients were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups were prescribed a course of therapeutic exercises. Group I was also prescribed a food supplement of collagen hydrolysate (COLLA GEN), whereas group II received placebo. The effectiveness of collagen hydrolysate in symptomatic osteoarthritis was evaluated based on the comparison of the WOMAC and VAS scores before the treatment and rehabilitation process and after 1, 3, and 6 months. RESULTS: Daily intake of 40 g of collagen hydrolysate dietary supplement of collagen hydrolysate («COLLA GEN») for 3 months, in combination with exercise therapy, in patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis, allowed statistically significant (p 0.05), compared with the placebo group, to improve such indicators on the WOMAC scale as «pain» (3.9±1.5 in group I and 5.4±1.8 in group II), «physical function» (8.7±3.2 in group I and 13.7±2.9 in group II), and «total score» (14.5±5.2 in group I and 21.5±4.9 in group II) by 6 months of observation. When analyzing the indicators on the VAS scale at the end of the 3rd and 6th month of treatment, a statistically significant difference (p 0.05) was observed between the indicators of regression of pain symptoms, which were 2.17 and 3.72 points in group I and 0.83 and 2.03 points in group II, respectively. CONCLUSION: The use of a novel hydrolysate collagen formulation in the complex treatment and rehabilitation of patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis has potential therapeutic effects.