Potential effects of chondroitin sulfate on joint swelling: a GAIT report

The Glucosamine/chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT) was a randomized double-blind placebo and active comparator (celecoxib) controlled trial of 1583 persons with symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee(1). Patients randomized to celecoxib had significant improvement in knee pain compared to those randomized to placebo. No statistically significant improvement in knee pain compared to placebo was seen among patients randomized to the dietary supplements, although a subset of patients with moderate-to-severe knee pain at entry who were assigned to the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate did seem to experience some improvement. Additionally, patients taking chondroitin sulfate were noted to have a statistically significant improvement in knee joint swelling. An exploratory post hoc analysis of GAIT patients suggested the effect of chondroitin sulfate on joint swelling occurred more often in patients with milder pain and lower Kellgren-Lawrence Grade at entry.