Medications for Early Osteo Arthritis
What medications have been investigated for use in Early Osteo Arthritis?
Multiple therapies have been used to control symptoms in patients with EOA. Topical and oral NSAIDs are typically tried first. Intraarticular steroid injections have proven effective in some patients. Because of the synovial inflammation resembling RA as well as theories on the potential role of IL-1 and/or crystalline disease in EOA pathogenesis, medications such as hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, anti-TNF agents, and IL-1 antagonists have been tried with varying levels of success (the latter two lines of therapy are generally considered cost-prohibitive given the equivocal efficacy data).
