Hyperosmolar dextrose injection for Osgood-Schlatter disease: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is a frequent cause of persistent knee pain in adolescents.
• It leads to functional limitations, tibial tubercle deformity, and hinders participation in sports.
• Current management primarily relies on conservative approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of hyperosmolar dextrose injections for treating Osgood-Schlatter disease.
• To compare dextrose injections against saline injections in a randomized controlled trial.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted with 70 OSD patients.
• Participants received either a 12.5% hyperosmolar dextrose or a saline injection under ultrasound guidance.
• The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Patella (VISA-P) score assessed pain and sport function.

Main Results:

• The dextrose group showed significantly greater improvement in VISA-P scores at 3, 6, and 12 months compared to the saline group.
• Mean differences in VISA-P scores favored dextrose: 25.4 at 3 months, 6.2 at 6 months, and 5.5 at 12 months (p < .0001, p < .0001, p = .0026).
• Both treatments demonstrated clinically important improvements, indicating active therapeutic effects.

Conclusions:

• Hyperosmolar dextrose injections led to significant improvements in VISA-P scores at 6 and 12 months post-treatment.
• The dextrose group consistently outperformed the saline group, showing statistically significant differences.
• This suggests hyperosmolar dextrose is an effective treatment option for Osgood-Schlatter disease.