Clinical Trial for Knee Osteoarthritis Pain at North Shore Hospital
Osteoarthritis affects hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders and many people end up having joint replacement surgery due to ongoing pain that can be difficult to manage effectively.
International studies have shown that Duloxetine, a medication that has been used to treat other chronic pain conditions, can also relieve osteoarthritis pain and improve people’s quality of life. “Unfortunately, Duloxetine is not subsidised or approved for use in New Zealand” says Dr David Rice, a Senior Researcher at North Shore Hospital and AUT.
In a clinical trial funded by the Health Research Council, researchers aim to compare Duloxetine to a similar medication called Venlafaxine, which works in the same way, but is cheaper and readily available in New Zealand. Participants in the trial will also have some sensory tests done before starting these medications, to see if these tests can be used to predict who will experience the most pain relief.
“The amount of pain relief people get from medications like Duloxetine varies” says Rice. “Many people experience substantial pain relief, while others get limited benefit. We think this relates to individual differences in the specific pain pathways these medications target, and we can test this in our lab” he said.
Findings from this research may lead to new pain relief options for people suffering from osteoarthritis and allow doctors to better personalise pain management, matching specific medications to the people who are likely to benefit the most.
About the study
An 11 week trial of Duloxetine compared to Venlafaxine for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis pain.
Participants must be at least 40 years old, have had moderate to severe knee pain for 3 months or more and be able to attend three 1-2 hour appointments at North Shore Hospital in Auckland. All other contact will be over the phone / by email.
Please email michelle.wang@waitematadhb.govt.nz to find out more information about the study and see if you are eligible to participate.