Clinical Comparison of Orgotein and Methylpredisolone acetate in the Treatment of Osteoarthrosis of the Knee Joint

Thirty-six patients with osteo-arthrosis affecting the knee took part in a randomized double-blind study in which intra-articular injections of an anti-inflammatory agent, orgotein (superoxide-dismutase) 8 or 16 mg, was compared with intra-articular methylprednisolone acetate 40 mg. It was found that orgotein can be used safely and effectively and without serious adverse reactions. All patients experienced beneficial effects, mainly regarding the pain during the treatment period of 6 weeks with one injection every second week. At the 6-month follow-up, patients treated with 8 mg orgotein or 40 mg methylprednisolone acetate had deteriorated, whereas all the patients treated with 16 mg orgotein maintained the improvement achieved during the treatment. The results, according to the patients' assessment of pain and to the patients' assessment of the overall result, were shown to be statistically significantly better with 16 mg orgotein than with 40 mg methylprednisolone acetate.