An exploratory randomized controlled pilot trial comparing the effects of individualized homoeopathic medicines in LM and centesimal potencies in managing the pain of knee osteoarthritis in adults

Osteoarthritis is a cause of disability that is rapidly growing among older adults, with its prevalence rising by 137% since 1990 and affecting almost half of people over 80 years of age. Chronic pain, joint stiffness, reduced mobility, and loss of independence are all symptoms of osteoarthritis. Chronic inflammation, cellular senescence, and muscle loss are aging-related mechanisms that accelerate disease progression, while obesity, menopause, and inactivity accelerate joint degeneration. Care remains fragmented and reactive, often relying on surgery, which is not suitable for many due to frailty, despite available treatments like bisphosphonates and emerging therapies like senolytics and regenerative medicine, thus emphasizing the pressing need for a comprehensive, preventative, and person-centered approach that incorporates early screening, personalized non-surgical management, mental health support, physical rehabilitation, and caregiver participation. Homeopathy may have immense potential to offer in successful treatment of pain of Knee Osteoarthritis but the available data shows contradictory results. Under such circumstances, we intend to undertake this research project to evaluate the efficacy of 50 millesimal scale of potencies and to explore the feasibility of a definitive future trial. Many studies were carried out which suggest that LM potencies offer a safe, gentle, and effective approach for managing chronic diseases. An open label, randomized (1:1), centesimal controlled trial will be conducted on 102 adults who are suffering from pain of Knee Osteoarthritis at the outpatient’s department of D. N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital. Assessment will be done by Modified Pain Detect Questionnaire(mPDQ) [secondary outcomes], Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain(ICOAP)[secondary outcomes] every month up to 3 months. Comparative analysis will be carried out to detect group differences.