INTRAARTICULAR INJECTION OF SOMATOSTATIN IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS - CLINICAL-RESULTS AND IGF-1 SERUM LEVELS

Recently somatostatin (SST) intra-articular administration has been us ed in the treatment of some rheumatoid diseases such as rheumatoid art hritis, psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis with encouraging result s. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of SST intra-articularly injected, involving 20 patients with knee os teoarthritis. Treatment consisted of 4 injections, administered weekly , each of 750 mcg SST. Additionally, in six of them we evaluated the c irculating levels of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 at the bas e-line time and then every 7 days (immediately before each dose of SST ). The results revealed an improvement in pain and in joint function a fter intra-articular SST, confirmed by statistical analysis. The circu lating levels of IGF-1 did not show significant variations following i ntraarticular administration of SST. The excellent tolerability and th e absence of unwanted side-effects with SST allow us to foresee that i ntra-articular SST could be used in cases of painful knee osteoarthrit is, especially in those patients in which other drugs are not appropri ate. Moreover, in the absence of modifications of serum levels of IGF- 1, SST could be used in athletes.