Injectable semaglutide may reduce body weight and knee osteoarthritis-associated pain: NEJM

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that once-weekly injectable semaglutide led to considerably higher reductions in body weight and knee osteoarthritis pain among patients with obesity and moderate-to-severe pain. It has been shown that losing weight can reduce the discomfort associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Not much research has been done on how glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists affect the course of osteoarthritis in the knees of obese individuals. Thereby, Henning Bliddal and associates conducted this research to rule out the efficacy of semaglutide in individuals with osteoarthritis and obesity.

A 68-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study was carried out at 61 locations throughout 11 nations. In addition to counseling on physical activity and a lower-calorie diet, participants with obesity (defined as a body-mass index [BMI] of ≥30] and a clinical and radiologic diagnosis of moderate knee osteoarthritis with at least moderate pain were randomized, in a 2:1 ratio, to receive once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide (2.4 mg) or a placebo. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain score (which ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating worse results) and the percentage change in body weight were the main endpoints. The 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), version 2's physical-function was a crucial confirmatory secondary end objective, where higher scores denoted more well-being.