APS arthritis guidelines
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Adults with osteoarthritis "should be encouraged to take 1,500 mg oral glucosamine sulfate daily," American Pain Society advises in recent "Guideline for the Management of Pain in Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis & Juvenile Chronic Arthritis." For chondroitin and SAM-e, APS concludes "until there have been longer-term studies and more standardization of dosages...no recommendations can be made about their use." Acetaminophen remains "drug of choice" for mild to moderate arthritis pain, APS says, due to analgesic's mild side effects, OTC availability and low cost. However, guidelines note long-term use may be associated with chronic kidney failure, although effect is likely to be "very rare." Guidelines represent first evidence-based, multidisciplinary arthritis pain recommendations ever issued by APS...