Therapeutic effect of mesotherapy on pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis

Abstract

Introduction/Objective Knee osteoarthritis is a progressive, degenerative disease of the knee joint that can eventually lead to disability. Clinical mesotherapy is an intradermal therapy used for injecting diluted pharmacological substances into the superficial layer of the skin at multiple points. The objectives of this study were to determine the therapeutic effect of mesotherapy on pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis treated with a mixture of Zodol (Zodol, 30 mg/mL, Hemofarm, Vršac, Serbia) and lidocaine, compared to patients with knee osteoarthritis treated with lidocaine alone.

Methods Participants were randomly assigned into two groups. The experimental group, in which patients were treated with an injection containing a mixture of lidocaine without adrenaline (Lidocainechlorid 1%, 35 mg / 3.5 mL, Galenika, Belgrade, Serbia) and of Zodol (Hemofarm). The control group was treated with lidocaine solution without adrenaline.

Results There is a statistically significant difference in pain intensity after the second dose of mesotherapy and one month after the fourth dose of mesotherapy. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scale values were significantly higher in patients in the control group. The frequency of patients experiencing moderate and severe pain was significantly higher in the control group, while the frequency of patients reporting no pain or only mild pain was significantly higher in the experimental group.

Conclusion The therapeutic effect of mesotherapy on pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis in experimental group is more effective and longer-lasting compared to patients treated with lidocaine alone.

Keywords: mesotherapy on pain; knee osteoarthritis; intradermal therapy