Riassunto dello studio

Ninety-four patients with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis were randomized to receive either 50 mg of generic diacerein (Diaceric®) (n=47) or branded diacerein (Artrodar®) (n=47) daily for 24 weeks. The primary outcome of interest was pain improvement measured by the visual analog scale (VAS) on motion. Secondary outcomes included patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) such as the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) index and Short Form-12 (SF-12), and performance-based measures (PBMs) including the 5-time sit-to-stand test (5×SST), time up and go test (TUGT), and the 3-minute walk test (3MWT). Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 weeks. Overall, both groups demonstrated significant improvement in VAS and PBMs (5×SST and 3MWT) by week 24, with the branded diacerein showing an earlier improvement in VAS at 12 weeks. There were no serious adverse events reported. These findings suggest that generic diacerein is as effective as branded diacerein in treating knee OA over 24 weeks, though the latter may provide faster pain relief.