Osteoarthritis is Inflammatory.
This article is advocating that certain tests for inflammation may help to identify patients at risk of faster cartilage deterioration, so as to treat them more aggressively. It does NOT advocate using targeted (read “expensive” and “potentially hazardous”) therapies like anti-TNF/IL1 to treat patients with OA, systemically or intra-articularly, overtly inflammatory or otherwise. Some therapies seem logical theoretically, but don’t cut it when subjected to rigorous clinical trials (eg anti-IL6 in Ankylosing Spondylitis, despite a high IL6 signature in inflamed tissue). Perhaps safer and cheaper alternatives with purported anti-inflammatory properties (eg Diacerein, ASU) can be tried till clinical evidence for targeted biologics become available.
Avocado Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) for Osteoarthritis
Management of Osteoarthritis with Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables
Research suggests that ASU may act as a DMOAD (Disease Modifying Osteoarthritis Drug — the holy grail of systemic OA treatment) through anti-inflammatory means.
OA Knees: Hyaluronic Acid beats Placebo: maybe, maybe not, maybe yes?
OA Knees: Hyaluronic Acid as good as Corticosteroids, and lasts longer.
OA Knees: Platelet-Rich Plasma beats Placebo.
OA Knees: PRP as effective (or ineffective) as Hyaluronic Acid.
Knee Arthritis: Steroid Shots May Not Help Long-Term, Ozone Injections Promising
OA Knees: Corticosteroids beats Placebo for pain relief, temporarily. How about Ozone?