Research breakthrough shows hope for millions afflicted by osteoarthritis pain

PRESS RELEASE: RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGH SHOWS HOPE FOR MILLIONS AFFLICTED BY OSTEOARTHRITIS PAIN

LONDON 29 JULY 

A discovery led by researchers from the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT), and funded by charity Versus Arthritis, could offer hope for millions of people across the UK suffering with chronic pain and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis of the knee.

The results of the clinical trial show methotrexate, a medication already used for autoimmune conditions, to be effective in relieving both the pain and stiffness caused by knee osteoarthritis which affects 5.4 million people in the UK, and 364 million globally. Osteoarthritis occurs when the body can no longer maintain the joint to keep it healthy and pain free.

Current pain relief options for knee osteoarthritis are limited, short term and often have minimal benefit. According to surveys carried out by Versus Arthritis, a third of people with osteoarthritis said they experienced severe pain every day. If these survey results are representative of the UK population, it means millions of people are living with debilitating pain because of their osteoarthritis every single day of their lives.*

The research, published today in medical journal Annals of Internal Medicine, was led by Professor Philip Conaghan and Dr Sarah Kingsbury of the Leeds NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in Leeds, hosted by LTHT in partnership with the University of Leeds.

Professor Conaghan explained the significance of the trial

“There is an urgent need for treatments to help relieve the pain of osteoarthritis. Although there have been many trials of potential new treatments, these have largely failed to demonstrate any benefit, and so people with osteoarthritis have very few options. We are therefore very excited by our findings which show that methotrexate may offer a potential new treatment.

Working with 15 hospitals across the UK, the team recruited 155 patients with knee osteoarthritis who were not responding to current medications. Patients were split into two groups with half given a placebo and half given methotrexate in tablet form once weekly over a period of 12 months. The results showed those taking methotrexate, which reduces the activity of the immune system, experienced less pain and stiffness at six months.

Dr Kingsbury added that further research would now be required

“Whilst this study offers real promise of a new treatment for osteoarthritis, there are still questions to be answered before methotrexate can be considered for widespread introduction.

Military veteran Roger Van-Cauter explains what it is like to live with arthritis

Military veteran Roger Van-Cauter, aged 73, from Shropshire has a number of conditions, including osteoarthritis in his hands, hip, and knees. He explains what it is like to live with arthritis:

“Osteoarthritis is my main issue – it’s very painful and because I was super fit all my joints are deteriorating. I’ve had trouble with my knees for a while really. I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my 40s after experiencing pain completing the Great North Run.

Exercise, weight management and physiotherapy are the recommended approaches for management of osteoarthritis however the significant levels of pain and stiffness experienced by patients usually necessitates additional therapies such as medication, which are limited. Joint replacements can be considered for long term relief for those with very advanced osteoarthritis, but NHS waiting lists are often long and people face many years in pain.

Professor Lucy Donaldson, Director of Research at Versus Arthritis, who funded the research, hailed the trial results as a promising breakthrough

“Osteoarthritis research has come far in our lifetime," she said "but we still have a long way to go. New ways to treat osteoarthritis pain are urgently needed, so the results from this study are very exciting. These findings could offer real hope for millions affected by knee osteoarthritis.

As well as investing in research, Versus Arthritis campaigns on behalf of the 10 million people in the UK with arthritis to bring down waiting times and increase funding for musculoskeletal research to match its severe impact.

To find out more about research into arthritis visit www.versusarthritis.org/research

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Notes to editors

For further information please contact Versus Arthritis Press Office by emailing press@versusarthritis.org or calling 0300 7900456.

Professor Philip Conaghan and Dr Sarah Kingsbury are available for interview.

About Versus Arthritis

Versus Arthritis is the largest arthritis charity and the biggest dedicated charitable investor of arthritis research in the UK, changing lives through research, campaigning and support.

The impact of arthritis can be huge, affecting the ability to work, care for family, move free from pain and live independently. Together with researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, supporters and volunteers, Versus Arthritis works tirelessly to make sure everyone with arthritis has access to the treatments and support they need to live the life they choose, with real hope of a cure in the future.

Find out more at: www.versusarthritis.org | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

To find out more about the prevalence of arthritis in the UK and its impacts on individuals, please view our latest report: State of Musculoskeletal Health Report 2024 by Versus Arthritis.

Read our Open Letter to the Prime Minster, that calls for arthritis to be taken seriously by the government, including more investment in musculoskeletal research to help drive life-changing breakthroughs.

University of Leeds

The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 40,000 students from about 140 different countries. We are renowned globally for the quality of our teaching and research.

We are a values-driven university, and we harness our expertise in research and education to help shape a better future for humanity, working through collaboration to tackle inequalities, achieve societal impact and drive change.

The University is a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities, and is a major partner in the Alan Turing, Rosalind Franklin and Royce Institutes www.leeds.ac.uk

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About Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is one of the largest and busiest acute hospital trusts in the country. Leeds Teaching Hospitals is the local hospital for Leeds and provides specialist services for people from Yorkshire and the Humber, and beyond.

We play an important role in the training and education of the future workforce of the NHS, and we are proud to be a centre of world-class research and pioneering new treatments.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals has a budget of over £1.9 billion and employs around 22,000 people with over 1.6 million treatments and episodes of care. Our care and clinical expertise is delivered from seven hospitals on five sites, and they are all joined by our vision to be the best for specialist and integrated care.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and colleagues helped to define the values and behaviours that we should work to. This is known as The Leeds Way and is the foundation of our culture and how we work daily.