Genicular artery embolization improves knee function for 3 months in knee osteoarthritis patients
Osteoarthritis is a common musculoskeletal disease that affects weight-bearing joints like the hip and knee. It affects 13.4% of the European population. Knee osteoarthritis, in particular, can significantly reduce a person's ability to work and participate in leisure activities. There is no cure for knee osteoarthritis, but medications and non-pharmacological treatments can help manage symptoms and slow its progression. In severe cases, total or partial knee replacement surgery may be necessary.
An Original article published in Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging concluded thatGenicular artery embolization improves pain and knee function for at least three months in patients with a history of knee osteoarthritis.
This study is published according to a study published on December 15 in Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging.
This study assessed the safety and efficacy of transient genicular artery embolization (GAE) with an ethiodized oil-based emulsion for treating KOA.
This study was a prospective, single-arm, open-label, multicenter, first-in-human cohort trial. The main inclusion criterion was a diagnosis of KOA with a VAS pain score of ≥40 mm despite conservative treatment for at least three months. Treatment efficacy was assessed using changes in VAS pain score, normalized WOMAC function score (ranging from 0-100), and OMERACT-OARSI responder criteria.
Key findings from this study are:
- Twenty-two patients with a mean age of 66 years were included and underwent GAE.
- The emulsion consisted of a mixture of ioversol and ethiodized oil in a ratio of 1:3, which was prepared extemporaneously.
- The serious adverse events rate attributed to GAE within one month was 5%, with reversible worsening of renal function. The immediate technical success rate was 100%.
- The mean VAS pain score dropped from 74.4 ± 16.5 mm to 37.2 ± 26.7 mm (from baseline to three months).
- The mean WOMAC function score decreased from 57.3 ± 17.1 to 33.5 ± 25.9 at three months.
- At three months, 16/22 participants (73%) were considered responders according to the OMERACT-OARSI set of responder criteria, including high improvement in either pain or WOMAC function or improvement in both.
In conclusion, they wrote, "Our study highlighted that Genicular artery embolization is a new treatment modality for managing cases of KOA. They found ethiodized oil-based emulsion to be safe in the treatment.
Reference:
Sapoval et al. Genicular artery embolization for knee osteoarthritis: Results of the LipioJoint-1 trial. Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging.
