Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug May Reduce Knee Osteoarthritis Pain
Knee osteoarthritis can cause significant pain and disability, and pharmacologic options for pain control are limited. Researchers investigated whether methotrexate, a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, might also be a potential treatment for people with osteoarthritis. Methotrexate works by decreasing inflammation. The study, which was published in Annals of Internal Medicine (July 2024), included 155 people with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, all of whom continued usual pain medications for one year. Half of the participants also took methotrexate once weekly and the other half took a placebo. The group who received methotrexate had a significantly greater reduction in pain and improvement in stiffness and function after six months than those in the placebo group. Further research is needed to determine the most effective dosing and to understand which patients are most likely to benefit.
