A widely used diabetes medication, metformin, has demonstrated potential in alleviating knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain among individuals with overweight or obesity, according to a recent study led by Monash University. Published in JAMA, the research suggests that metformin could serve as a cost-effective alternative to delay or reduce the need for knee replacement surgeries.
The randomized clinical trial involved 107 participants, averaging 60 years of age, all experiencing symptomatic knee OA and classified as overweight or obese. For six months, participants received either up to 2000 mg of metformin daily or a placebo. Pain levels were assessed using a 0–100 scale, where higher scores indicate greater pain. Results indicated that the metformin group experienced a 31.3-point reduction in pain, compared to an 18.9-point decrease in the placebo group, indicating a moderate effect.
Professor Flavia Cicuttini, head of Monash University’s Musculoskeletal Unit and The Alfred’s Head of Rheumatology, emphasized the significance of these findings. She noted that current OA treatments, such as exercise, weight loss, and certain medications, often yield limited benefits and can be challenging for patients to maintain. Metformin, known for its safety profile and affordability, could offer a new avenue for managing knee OA pain.
“Metformin works in a number of ways on the knee, including affecting low grade inflammation and other metabolic pathways that are important in knee OA,” she explained. “It is a different way to treat knee OA pain.
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While these initial results are promising, the researchers advocate for larger-scale studies to confirm metformin’s efficacy in this new role. If validated, metformin could be integrated into plans for managing knee OA, potentially improving patient outcomes and delaying the need for surgical interventions.