Semaglutide for osteoarthritis

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on October 31st highlights that once-weekly semaglutide significantly reduces body weight and alleviates pain related to knee osteoarthritis in individuals with obesity, as compared to a placebo.

Study Overview

The study, led by Henning Bliddal, M.D., from Copenhagen University Hospital at Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg in Denmark, involved a 68-week trial conducted at 61 sites across 11 countries. A total of 407 participants with obesity and clinically confirmed moderate knee osteoarthritis, characterized by moderate to severe pain, were enrolled in the study. Participants were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive either once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide or a placebo, in addition to counseling on physical activity and a reduced-calorie diet.

Key Findings

The results demonstrated that:

• Body Weight Reduction: By week 68, participants receiving semaglutide experienced a mean body weight reduction of −13.7%, compared to −3.2% in the placebo group.
• Pain Reduction: The mean change in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain score was −41.7 points for the semaglutide group and −27.5 points for the placebo group.
• Improvement in Physical Function: The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey showed greater improvement in physical function among the semaglutide group, with a mean increase of 12.0 points compared to 6.5 points in the placebo group.

The incidence of serious adverse events was similar between the two groups, indicating that semaglutide was well-tolerated by participants.

References

• NEJM study - Semaglutide for osteoarthritis

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