Sugar water shots guided by MRI may ease knee pain better
NCT ID NCT06755697
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether injecting dextrose (a sugar solution) into specific spots seen on MRI works better than injecting it into the knee joint for osteoarthritis. Sixty adults aged 45-80 with moderate knee OA will receive either MRI-guided extra-articular or ultrasound-guided intra-articular injections, plus physical therapy. The goal is to see which approach improves pain, stiffness, and function more over time.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- dextrose (sugar water) injection
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a cheaper, more effective injection method for knee osteoarthritis pain and function.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 60 people. The benefit over standard injections may be small or none, and results may not apply to everyone.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jan 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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.
- Ages
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45 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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: 1. . age between 45 to 80 years old; 2. . meet at least three of the six American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, including age over 50 years, morning stiffness less than 30 minutes, crepitus in passive knee movements, bony tenderness, bony enlargement, and no palpable warmth; 3. . radiologic grading of 2 or 3 according to Kellgren-Lawrence criteria; 4. showing willingness to receive prolotherapy. Exclusion Criteria: 1. . severe systemic disorders including cancer, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, sepsis, or cardiopulmonary diseases; 2. . history of anticoagulation therapy, knee injection over the past three months; 3. . history of knee surgery or candidates for knee arthroplasty; 4. . history of drug abuse; 5. . a history of intolerance to prolotherapy; 6. . pregnancy; 7. . infectious arthritis, inflammatory joint diseases, joint dysplasia; 8. Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 35 kg/m2; 9. . not suitable or no willing to received MRI examination of the knee.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital
RECRUITINGTaipei, Taiwan
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