Nortriptyline for pain in knee osteoarthritis: a double-blind randomised controlled trial in New Zealand general practice.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a common cause of chronic pain. Analgesics that are currently available have limited efficacy and may be poorly tolerated. Tricyclic antidepressants are used as analgesics for other chronic conditions, but they have not been evaluated as analgesics in OA. AIM: To investigate the analgesic efficacy of nortriptyline in people with knee OA. DESIGN AND SETTING: A two-arm, parallel-group, 1:1, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in Christchurch, New Zealand. METHOD: Participants were recruited from orthopaedic outpatient clinics, primary care, and through public advertising. Adults with knee OA and a pain score of ≥20 points on the 50-point Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale were randomised to receive either nortriptyline or identical placebo for 14 weeks. The primary outcome was knee pain at 14 weeks measured using the WOMAC pain subscale. Secondary outcomes included: function; stiffness; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, opioid, and/or paracetamol use; each participant's global assessment; and adverse effects at 14 weeks. RESULTS: Of the 205 randomised participants, 201 (98.0%) completed follow-up at 14 weeks. The baseline-adjusted mean WOMAC pain subscale score at week 14 was 6.2 points lower (95% confidence interval = -0.26 to 12.6, P = 0.06) in the nortriptyline arm versus the placebo arm. Differences in secondary outcomes generally favoured the nortriptyline arm, but were small and unlikely to be clinically relevant. However, the following were all more commonly reported by participants taking nortriptyline than those taking a placebo: dry mouth (86.9% versus 51.0%, respectively, P<0.001), constipation (58.6% versus 30.4%, respectively, P<0.001), and sweating (31.3% versus 20.6%, respectively, P = 0.033). CONCLUSION: This study suggests nortriptyline does not significantly reduce pain in people with knee OA. The adverse effect profile was as expected.

Nortriptyline in knee osteoarthritis (NortIKA Study): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common cause of pain and disability. Currently available analgesics are often insufficiently effective or have unacceptable adverse effects. Tricyclic antidepressants may offer a useful centrally-acting analgesic. Nortriptyline is a readily-available, cheap and comparatively well-tolerated tricyclic antidepressant. METHODS/DESIGN: We will conduct a parallel group, two-arm, participant and investigator-blinded, randomised controlled superiority trial comparing nortriptyline with placebo. Two hundred participants with primary knee OA will be enrolled. Participants will take study medication for 14 weeks. The primary outcome is difference between treatment arms in mean pain score measured on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) pain scale at 14 weeks. DISCUSSION: This protocol describes the first randomised controlled trial of a tricyclic antidepressant in the treatment of OA. The results of the study may have significant implications for the management of this common and painful condition. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry on 27 June 2014. The trial registration number is: ACTRN12614000683639 .