Effects and safety of a CBD-rich Cannabis sativa oil in knee osteoarthritis: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial - CANOA - cannabis for osteoarthritis
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is a common inflammatory and degenerative joint disease characterized by associated chronic pain, often ensuing to diminished quality of life. Current pain management options present small benefits and great side effects, driving interest in potential treatments such as cannabis, for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. This trial aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of cannabidiol (CBD) in a full-spectrum cannabis oil in managing osteoarthritis-related pain.
Methods: Osteoarthritis patients were randomized into either placebo or cannabis groups and monitored for 60 days. The cannabis group received a CBD daily oral dose of 45 mg. Primary outcome was determined by pain intensity measured utilizing the WOMAC, while secondary outcomes included the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the MC S12/PC S12 scores (mental and physical components of the quality of life SF-12 scale).
Results: At the end of intervention (i.e. 60 days or trial end-point), both the placebo and cannabis groups exhibited comparable improvements in pain scores, with no statistically significant differences in pain intensity observed between groups. Likewise, secondary outcomes showed no significant differences between groups. Furthermore, the CBD-rich cannabis oil was well-tolerated, as no patients experienced any serious adverse events or clinically significant changes in serum biomarkers.
Conclusion: CBD-rich…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Effect of dexamethasone as an analgesic adjuvant to multimodal pain treatment after total knee arthroplasty: randomised clinical trial
- Effect of a Postoperative Multimodal Opioid-Sparing Protocol vs Standard Opioid Prescribing on Postoperative Opioid Consumption After Knee or Shoulder Arthroscopy: A Randomized Clinical Trial
- Comparison of the Post-Caesarean Analgesic Effect of Adding Dexmedetomidine to Paracetamol and Ketorolac: A Randomized Clinical Trial
- A triple-blind randomized clinical trial of different associations between dexamethasone and non-steroids anti-inflammatories for preemptive action in third molar extractions
- An open label randomized clinical trial of Indomethacin for mild and moderate hospitalised Covid-19 patients
- Oral paracetamol and/or ibuprofen for treating pain after soft tissue injuries: Single centre double-blind, randomised controlled clinical trial
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.