Human Growth Hormone Injections in the Knee Joint to Treat Osteoarthritis
Status:
SUSPENDED
Trial end date:
2026-02-08
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if growth hormone injections can be used to treat osteoarthritis (OA) in the knee. Human studies have shown that repeated injections of human growth hormone leads to the production of articular chondrocytes, which are the cells that make up the cartilage in the knee joint. Restoring cartilage in the knee can alleviate pain, improve function, and postpone the need for a joint replacement procedure. The main questions the study aims to answer are:
* Do growth hormone injections in the knee joint stimulate cartilage growth?
* Do the injections lower pain and stiffness in the participant's treated knee?
* Does the participant have more mobility after the injections?
The physician will monitor the participant's progress through X-ray images, questionnaires, and physical evaluation of the treated knee.
For the trial, participants will:
* Receive a growth hormone injection in their knee once per week for six weeks, for a total of 6 injections.
* Complete at-home exercises during the treatment period.
* Use crutches as needed during the trial.
* Have X-rays taken at 8 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after the first injection.
* Go to follow-up visits at 8 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after the first injection.
* Complete treatment surveys before treatment starts and after it is finished.