Other than painkillers and joint replacement surgery, there are few effective treatments for people with osteoarthritis. Biomedical scientist Michelle Heijman (Sint Maartenskliniek) searched among existing medicines for candidates that could somewhat bridge the gap between these two extremes. The anti-gout drug colchicine seems promising.
An estimated 1.5 million Dutch people suffer from pain, stiffness and/or swelling of (one of) the knees, hips and/or hands. In other words: osteoarthritis. Old age, overweight, overexertion and trauma are the most important risk factors. As its severity increases, osteoarthritis causes more and more limitations in performing all kinds of daily tasks. This not only leads to dependency and personal suffering, but also to high medical and social costs. The latter is particularly affected by the decline in labor productivity of people with osteoarthritis.
“There is an urgent need for more treatment options for osteoarthritis”
Biomedical scientist Michelle Heijman
Gaping chasm
Treatment options for osteoarthritis are currently limited. “Lifestyle advice, in particular losing weight and exercising more, physiotherapy and painkillers such as NSAIDs and intra-articular corticosteroids. then you’ve had it,” Heijman summarizes. “In an advanced stage – in case of knee or hip osteoarthritis – joint replacement surgery is the last resort.” It is clear: there is an urgent need
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