November 19, 2007

3 Min Read
Advances In the Treatment Of Synovitis

Barcelona, Spain, November 2007—Bioiberica is instrumental in investigating the link between synovitis and osteoarthritis (OA). In their compilation of study data it has been concluded that synovitis may be present from the onset of the OA pathology and this may contribute to the worsening of chondral lesions. In fact, it has been found that the prevalence of synovitis in patients with OA is over 50%.

Synovitis is an inflammatory process of the synovial membrane, which is a tissue that lines the cavities of joints, tendon sheets and bursae and makes synovial fluid, which has a lubricating function. Targeted inhibition of synovitis in early OA may limit the rates of progressive cartilage degradation and functional impairment.

The nutritional supplement chondroitin sulfate (CS) may prove to be a suitable add-on or alternative to various anti-inflammatory drugs in the treatment of synovitis as shown by the results of a recent NIH-clinical trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). In this study, patients administered with 1200 mg daily of CS, experienced significant improvement in joint swelling and joint effusion (signs of synovitis) compared to the group of patients receiving no treatment.

Traditional treatment of synovitis is with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or corticosteroids. But when administered chronically, NSAIDs can cause several side effects, such as cardiovascular, renal and gastrointestinal problems, and the intra-articular corticoid drugs have been linked to complications with inmunosuppression, hypertension, osteoporosis, osteonecrosis, and more.

CS, on the other hand is safe and associated with no side effects as evidenced by extensive clinical trials performed in Europe, and all the pharmacosurveillance data where this product is approved as a drug. For these reasons, the use of CS to treat synovitis would be a good choice, consistent with both scientific findings and other alternative therapies in the market.

Additional evidence supporting the OA and synovitis link can be found in Loeuille D, et al. Macroscopic and Microscopic features of synovial membrane inflammation in the osteoarthritic knee; Arthritis Rheumatology. 2005 Nov;52(11):3492-501. Hill C. Knee effusions, popliteal cysts, and synovial thickening: association with knee pain in OA. Journal of Rheumatology 2001;28:1330-7. Naredo E. et al. Ultrasonographic findings in knee osteoarthritis: A comparative study with clinical and radiographic assessment. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2005 Jul;13(7):568-74, as well as an article by Daniel O. Clegg, M.D in the February 23, 2006 article in The New England Journal of Medicine, “Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, and the Two in Combination for Painful Knee Osteroarthritis.”

New information and additional research will be the subject of an educational symposium following the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). The half-day symposium entitled “Osteoarthritis and Synovitis: The Link Between Pathogenesis, Detection and Treatment,” will be held Sunday, November 11, 2007 at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel in Boston, MA. Registration and lunch will be from 1 p.m. to 1:30, and the program is slated to go from 1:30 to 3:30. For more information, call 1-877-307-5225, or visit the Web site, www.VindIcoMedEd.com/Boston <http://www.VindIcoMedEd.com/Boston> .

Among chondroitin sulfate ingredients available in the marketplace, CSb™ Bio-Active, developed by the Spanish company, Bioiberica, has been used in more published studies than any other brand. It was featured in the GAIT study and can be found exclusively in Cosamin DS in the US. Since the early 1980s, CSb™ Bio-Active has helped more than 15 million people worldwide relieve the symptoms of OA.

Bioiberica has become a recognized leader in joint health. Established in 1975, the company has pioneered advancements in pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements that have led to the development of a global business in over 40 countries around the world. Dedicated to research, Bioiberica has established itself as on of the most prestigious names in the industry for top-quality active ingredients that are backed by science.

For additional information on the science supporting CS visit www.csbioactive.com.

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