The goal of this clinical trial is to compare FSN with oral Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) in pain relief and improvement in knee function among elder people, the main questions it aims to answer are: Q1: Compared with the positive drug (celecoxib), whether FSN is more or at least as effective for pain relief and improvement in knee function in elder people with knee arthritis. Q2: From the biomechanical point of view, what is the mechanism by which FSN plays a therapeutic role in knee osteoarthritis (KOA)? Participants will: 1. Will be randomly assigned to 2 groups. There will be 30 participants in each group. 2. A group of patients will receive FSN monotherapy, while the other group will receive oral celecoxib and pantoprazole. Each patient will receive a 2-week course of treatment. 3. Visual analogue scale (VAS), WOMAC, knee range of motion (ROM), gait analysis, and musculoskeletal ultrasonography (US) of lower extremity muscles will be assessed during treatment and in the follow-up. Researchers will compare FSN and celecoxib to see if FSN has better, or at least equivalent, efficacy than celecoxib, which is commonly used in clinical practice.
This study was a randomised, parallel-controlled, single-center prospective clinical study, which included 60 participants, with an FSN group (n=30) and a drug group (n=30). All patients will give informed consent before participation and the trial is initiated after approval. The Fu's subcutaneous needling(FSN) group underwent FSN treatment 3 times a week for 2 weeks, while the drug group received oral celecoxib 0.2 g/day for 2 weeks, with a follow-up period of 2 weeks after the completion of treatment. The primary outcome will be the visual analog scale（VAS）after two weeks of treatment. The secondary outcomes will be self-reported knee stiffness using the WOMAC Index, joint active range of motion test, three-dimensional gait analysis, and Shear wave elastic imaging technology analysis in lower limb muscles. The results of this trial will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
60
Operation of the FSN will follow the KOA's Fu's Subcutaneous Needling Treatment Code of Practice24. After routine disinfection, a disposable Fu's subcutaneous needle ( Nanjing-Paifu Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Jiangsu, China ) is inserted parallel into the subcutaneous loose connective tissue of the pathological tight muscles ( gastrocnemius muscle, tibial anterior muscle and quadriceps femoris muscle ). The FSN needle is operated in a swaying movement. The fan angle is approximately 60°; perform a total of 45 round trips in 30 seconds. Swaying is accompanied by reperfusion approach: 20 sweeps with 10 seconds of reperfusion approach as a group, 3 groups for each pathological tight muscle. The reperfusion approach requires active, short and sharp contractions of the pathological tight muscle. The muscle alternates contraction and relaxation. The FSN group is treated 3 times a week for 2 weeks.
Participants in the drug group will receive celecoxib (capsule) 200mg every day continuously for 2 weeks.
Change from Baseline in the visual analogue scale (VAS) (0-100 mm) at the 14th day after receiving treatment.
Visual analogue scale (VAS) is used to assess pain. A "0" indicates no pain or no limitation of function and gets worse as the value increases, and a "10" indicates severe pain (refractory to analgesic medication) or extreme limitation of function
Time frame: Baseline and the 14th day after the start of treatment
Change from Baseline in the visual analogue scale (VAS) (0-100 mm) at the 7th day, the 28th day and 42th day after the start of treatment.
Visual analogue scale (VAS) is used to assess pain. A "0" indicates no pain or no limitation of function and gets worse as the value increases, and a "10" indicates severe pain (refractory to analgesic medication) or extreme limitation of function
Time frame: Baseline and the 7th day, the 28th day and the 42th day after the start of treatment
Change from Baseline in The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index at the 7th day, the 14th day, the 28th day and 42th day after the start of treatment.
The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index is a scoring system that is applicable to the assessment of knee osteoarthritis. The severity of arthritis and the efficacy of treatment is evaluated according to the relevant symptoms and signs of patients. The rating scale includes 24 questions in 3 aspects of pain, stiffness and dysfunction, and there are 2 methods of calculation: 5-point scale (0-4) and 11-point scale (0-10), corresponding to a maximum score of 96 and 240, respectively. The higher the score, the more severe the subjective feeling of the symptoms.
Time frame: Baseline and the 7th day, the 14th day, the 28th day and the 42th day after the start of treatment.
Change from Baseline in the active range of motion (ROM) of the knee at the 7th day,the 14th day,the 28th day and 42th day after the start of treatment.
A goniometer is used. In general, for healthy people, the active range of motion (ROM) of the knee joint is: extension-flexion (0°-135°). Limited flexion or extension of the knee, or a range beyond the normal range, may be the manifestation of knee disease.
Time frame: Baseline and the 7th day, the 14th day, the 28th day and the 42th day after the start of treatment
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