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Etodolac Nanogel as an Adjunct to Physiotherapy for Knee Osteoarthritis

Effect of Etodolac-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticle Gel as an Adjunct to Physiotherapy in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Clinical Tria

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07308470
Enrollment
30
Registered
2025-12-29
Start date
2026-01-08
Completion date
2026-03-07
Last updated
2025-12-29

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Knee Osteoarthritis

Keywords

osteoarthritis-Etodolac

Brief summary

Brief Summary: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common, disabling condition affecting the weight-bearing knee joint, leading to pain, reduced function, and muscle weakness, particularly of the quadriceps. Strengthening exercises are recommended to improve joint stability, physical function, and slow disease progression. Etodolac, a selective NSAID approved for osteoarthritis, has proven analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigates the adjunctive effect of a topical Etodolac-loaded solid lipid nanoparticle gel combined with traditional physiotherapy in patients with knee OA. Thirty patients with mild to moderate unilateral tibiofemoral OA will be randomized into two groups: traditional physiotherapy alone or physiotherapy plus Etodolac gel. Outcomes including pain, knee function, functional performance, quadriceps strength, and proprioception will be assessed at baseline and after four weeks. The study aims to determine whether adding topical Etodolac enhances the benefits of standard physiotherapy in managing knee OA.

Detailed description

This randomized clinical trial investigates the effect of adding a topical Etodolac-loaded solid lipid nanoparticle gel to traditional physiotherapy in patients with mild to moderate unilateral knee osteoarthritis (OA). Thirty patients aged 45-60 years will be randomly assigned to either physiotherapy alone (control) or physiotherapy plus Etodolac nanogel (experimental) for 4 weeks. Outcomes include pain (VAS), knee function (WOMAC), functional performance (TUG, 2MWT), quadriceps strength, and proprioception. The study aims to determine whether the combination therapy provides superior pain relief, improved joint function, and enhanced muscle performance compared with physiotherapy alone, while potentially reducing systemic NSAID exposure

Interventions

COMBINATION_PRODUCTEtodolac-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticle Gel

Physiotherapy program includes: Quadriceps strengthening exercises Lower limb muscle conditioning Aerobic walking program Functional mobility exercises

Sponsors

Pharos University in Alexandria
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

In this single-blind study, the outcome assessor is blinded to group allocation to minimize measurement bias. Participants and physiotherapists are aware of the treatment they receive, but all assessments of pain, knee function, functional performance, quadriceps strength, and proprioception are conducted by a blinded assessor.

Intervention model description

This is a randomized, parallel-assignment, single-blind interventional study. Thirty patients with mild to moderate unilateral knee osteoarthritis will be randomly assigned to either a control group receiving traditional physiotherapy or an experimental group receiving physiotherapy plus topical Etodolac-loaded nanoparticle gel. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks to evaluate pain, knee function, functional performance, quadriceps strength, and proprioception

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
45 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Age between 45 and 60 years. Mild to moderate unilateral knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grades II-III). Ability to walk independently without assistive devices. Body Mass Index (BMI) \< 30 kg/m². No participation in resistance training in the 3 months prior to enrollment. Referred by an orthopedic surgeon and diagnosed based on clinical and radiological examination.

Exclusion criteria

* Severe or bilateral knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade IV). Congenital or acquired inflammatory, rheumatic, or neurological disorders affecting the knee. Repeated treatment with steroids or secondary knee OA. History of joint replacement surgery in the knee or hip. Cardiovascular or neuromuscular disorders. Diabetes mellitus. Psychiatric disorders.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Pain SeverityBaseline, 4 weeks, 8 weekPain severity in patients with knee osteoarthritis measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)Units on a 0-10 scale

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Functional ImprovementBaseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeksImprovement in knee function assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) function subscale-Units on a 0-68 scale
Patient Global Assessment of Disease ActivityBaseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeksPatient's overall assessment of their osteoarthritis symptoms measured using a 0-100 scaleوUnits on a 0-100 scale
Physician's Global AssessmenBaseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeksPhysician's assessment of the patient's overall osteoarthritis status using a standardized scale-Units on a 0-100 scale

Countries

Egypt

Contacts

Primary ContactYosra Elnagar, proffesor
yosra.elnaggar@pua.edu.eg01277629944
Backup Contactola elgohary, lecturer
ola.elgohary@pua.edu.eg01227191398

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026