Deep Versus Superficial Heating in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Knee Osteoarthritis
• Interventions: Other: Superficial hyperthermia; Other: Microwave diathermy

• Registration Number: NCT01343147
• Lead Sponsor: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Brief Summary

Heat therapy is frequently prescribed to patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA). Deep hyperthermia via localized microwave diathermy is effective in several musculoskeletal painful conditions. However, the efficacy of superficial heating is controversial. Furthermore, no clinical trials have yet directly compared the effects of these treatment modalities in knee OA. Hence, the purpose of the present study is to compare the effects of deep and superficial hyperthermia, induced via microwave diathermy and hot packs, respectively, on pain and function in patients with symptomatic knee OA.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2010-05
• Primary Completion: 2010-07
• Study Completion: 2010-07
• Study First Submitted: 2011-04-26
• Study First Submitted QC: 2011-04-26
• Study First Posted: 2011-04-27
• Status Verified: 2014-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2014-03-04
• Last Update Posted: 2014-03-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 54

Inclusion Criteria

• Men and women aged 18 years or older
• Moderate, mono or bilateral knee osteoarthritis
• Pain lasting for at least three weeks

Exclusion Criteria

• Inability or unwillingness to sign informed consent
• Previous surgery on the affected knee
• Intra-articular injections with steroids or hyaluronic acid in prior 6 months
• Physical therapy for knee problems in prior 6 months
• Congenital or acquired inflammatory or neurological (systemic or local) diseases involving the knee
• Chronic NSAID or steroid treatment
• Cognitive or psychiatric disorders
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Contraindications to hyperthermia (cancer in prior 2 years or active cancer treatment, local thrombosis, impaired arterial circulation, altered cutaneous thermal sensitivity, local infections or systemic acute infections, metal implants or prosthesis, severe osteoporosis

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Superficial hyperthermia	Superficial hyperthermia	Hot packs
Deep hyperthermia	Microwave diathermy	Microwave diathermy

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC scale)	12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
British Medical Research Council (BMRC) rating scale	6 months
Pain visual analogue scale (VAS)	6 months

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Outpatient clinic of the Dept. Of Gerontology, Geriatrics and Physiatrics; 🇮🇹 Rome, Italy