Symptoms modifying effect of avocado/soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) in knee osteoarthritis. A double blind, prospective, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVES We compare the symptomatic effects of 300 or 600mg daily of ASU in patients with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS A multicenter, double blind, study comparing a daily intake of 300mg or 600mg of ASU and placebo. The study lasted 3 months and involved patients of both genders, aged 45 to 80 years and presenting with femoro-tibial knee osteoarthritis. The primary endpoint was NSAIDs and analgesics intake between D30 and D90. RESULTS All efficacy parameters were significantly improved (p<0.01), in the two ASU groups compared to the placebo group. At D90, NSAIDs and analgesics intake decreased by more than 50% in 71% of the patients receiving ASU 300mg or 600mg, compared to 36% of the patients receiving placebo. From DO to D90 Lequesne's index dropped by 3.9 and 2.9 points in ASU 300mg and 600mg groups, respectively, against 1.6 in those receiving placebo. CONCLUSION The efficacy of ASU at a dosage of 300mg/day and 600mg/day was consistently superior to that of placebo at all endpoints, with no differences observed between the two doses.