International journal of rheumatic diseases
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Supplementation of 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D3 in patients with treatment naive early rheumatoid arthritis: a randomised controlled trial.
1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D3 has immunomodulatory functions in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is an anti-osteoporotic agent. No studies exist to assess its pain-relieving action in RA. ⋯ Supplementation of 500 IU of 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D3 daily to previously DMARD-naïve patients with early RA along with triple DMARD therapy results in a significantly higher pain relief at the end of 3 months. The number needed to treat for this additional pain relief was 5. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the study population was 68.1%.
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To evaluate the benefits of knee joint aspiration and injection in knee osteoarthritis (OA). ⋯ This pilot study appears to show a beneficial trend in giving corticosteroid injections and to aspirate the knee in OA patients. Further studies are needed to address the mechanical benefits, quadriceps strengthening and pain reduction with knee aspiration, as well as the effects that different volumes of fluid may have on knee mechanics and symptoms.