ACR recommendations
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
American College of Rheumatology ad hoc subcommittee updates 1995 recommendations for medical management of OA of the hip and knee, finding once again that a combination of nonpharmacologic modalities and drug therapy is the ideal approach. Patient education, aerobic exercise, weight loss and physical therapy lead to reductions in pain and functional limitation, while acetaminophen, NSAIDs and ibuprofen provide mild-to-moderate joint pain relief, ACR says. Subcommittee also considers popular alternative approaches, such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, but concludes more studies are necessary to determine the ingredients' efficacy