Scientists investigate why knee pain varies so much between patients

NCT ID NCT07308873

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First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This observational study looks at why some people with knee osteoarthritis have worse pain than others, even when their knee damage looks similar on X-rays. Researchers will study 300 adults aged 45-80 with chronic knee pain. Participants will complete surveys, physical tests, knee X-rays and MRIs, brain imaging, and sensory testing. The goal is to better understand the factors that contribute to walking pain in knee osteoarthritis.

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Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

About 300 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Jan 2026

Expected to finish

Aug 2030

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

The sample includes participants with knee osteoarthritis of at least moderate pain severity and radiographic evidence of significant knee joint degeneration. Participants will be recruited from research registries (Pitt CTSI Pitt+Me) and clinics with a high volume of knee osteoarthritis patients, including orthopedic and pain management clinics. Eligibility criteria are designed to study knee osteoarthritis pain around the time of walking. Therefore, some comorbidities and pain conditions are allowed if knee osteoarthritis is the primary pain condition, but other painful conditions are not allowed due to a significant confounding effect on the study. Concurrent knee interventions, such as injections, have different expected time courses of treatment effects. The exclusion criteria timepoints for each intervention are meant to enroll participants at a relatively stable periods of time after the interventions, so that pain and function do not change dramatically across Study Visits.

Ages

45 to 80 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Knee pain for greater than 6 months. * Moderate-to-severe knee pain (\>3/10) due to osteoarthritis, as defined by American College of Rheumatology and EULAR diagnostic criteria, on \>50% of days in the past month. * KL grade 2-4 indicating significant degenerative changes on knee X-ray. * 45-80 years old Exclusion Criteria: * Inflammatory arthritis (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis). * More intense pain due to another chronic pain syndrome (e.g. fibromyalgia, hip osteoarthritis) * Significant pain or weakness in the lower extremities due to a neurological condition (e.g. lumbar radiculopathy, paresis due to stroke) * Acute pain that is more intense than knee osteoarthritis pain * Current routine use of more than 15 mg oral morphine equivalents per day (use of \<15 mg OME does not exclude the participant). * Recent new medication, exercise, behavioral, or complementary and integrative treatment started in the last month. Stable use of these treatments for greater than 1 month does not exclude the participant. * Recent intra-articular injection of steroid or other agent (greater than 1 month does not exclude the participant) * Recent knee radiofrequency ablation (greater than 3 months does not exclude the participant) * Recent knee arthroscopic surgery (greater than 3 months does not exclude the participant) * History of knee replacement or open knee surgery on the index knee, defined as the more painful knee on average over the last month. * Inability to walk or climb stairs without significant assistance (e.g. a one-person assist, use a wheel chair; however, the use of a cane does not exclude the participant). * Inability to participate in study procedures (e.g. cognitive impairment limiting ability to understand directions, inability to understand and read English) * Uncontrolled or unstable medical disorder preventing participation in study procedures * History of brain surgery * Tattoos on sensory testing sites * Pregnancy * Breastfeeding * Inability to under knee MRI scan due to incompatible devices or foreign bodies.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

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How to take part

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • UPMC Pain Medicine at Centre Commons

    RECRUITING

    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15206, United States

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