College

College of Nursing & Health Professions (CONHP)

Department/Program

Physician Assistant Studies

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Symposium Date

Summer 7-23-2025

Abstract

Objective: This capstone project aimed to evaluate whether proposed disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs), compared to placebo, can slow or halt structural joint changes and subsequently improve pain and function in adults with osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and EBSCO, focusing on studies published since 2019 that evaluated proposed DMOADs (lorecivivint, sprifermin, chondroitin, and glucosamine) versus placebo in adults with clinical or radiographic knee OA. Inclusion required reporting on joint space width (JSW), pain, and/or function. Studies involving pediatric or animal subjects, prior joint surgery, malignancy, and non-placebo comparators, or lacking structural or symptomatic outcomes were excluded. Primary outcomes were JSW or cartilage thickness via X-ray or MRI; secondary outcomes included pain and function scores via Western Ontario Montreal and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores.

Results: Sprifermin preserved or increased JSW and cartilage thickness but did not significantly improve pain or function, Lorecivivint demonstrated both structural and symptomatic benefits, though only in a small subgroup with unilateral knee OA. Chondroitin improved pain and function, while glucosamine had a more notable effect on joint structure. However, combined glucosamine-chondroitin therapy showed no benefit on either outcome.

Conclusion: No single DMOAD evaluated consistently improved both joint structure and symptoms. These findings highlight the complexity of OA and the need for therapies that align structural modification with clinically meaningful symptom relief.

Keywords: osteoarthritis, disease-modifying drugs, joint space narrowing, pain, WOMAC

Biographical Information about Author(s)

Peyton F. Weber has global experience in treatment of osteoarthritis through her medical mission trip to Uganda in 2023, which unveiled the significant burden osteoarthritis has across the world. This newfound knowledge accelerated her passion to research osteoarthritis treatments that go beyond symptom relief. After graduation, she will further expand her orthopedic expertise through her position as an orthopedic surgery physician assistant specializing in total joint replacements.

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