Oral resveratrol in adults with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized placebo-controlled trial (ARTHROL)

This was a randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted at 3 tertiary centers in France in adults with painful radiographic knee osteoarthritis. In the resveratrol arm, 71 participants were randomized in a 1:1 resveratrol:placebo allocation.

Oral resveratrol in caplets was given as add-on therapy to usual care: 40 mg twice daily for 1 week, then 20 mg twice daily for 6 months, compared with matched placebo.

Oral resveratrol did not reduce knee pain compared with placebo, so the trial does not support its use for painful knee osteoarthritis. In the resveratrol arm, baseline knee pain intensity was 56.9 (14.0) on a 0 to 100 NRS, with mean changes of -15.7 (-21.1 to -10.3) at 3 months and -16.8 (-23.4 to -10.3) at 6 months. OARSI-OMERACT response in the resveratrol arm was 34/66 (52) at 3 months and 29/60 (48) at 6 months. Adverse events were common: 29/71 (41%) had at least 1 serious or minor adverse event, 28/71 (39%) had at least 1 minor adverse event, and 3/71 (4%) had at least 1 serious adverse event; total serious adverse events were 4, with 3 in the resveratrol group and 1 in the placebo group.

The active arm was modest in size, and outcome denominators were lower than randomized numbers at follow-up, which may reduce precision. The study was conducted in 3 French tertiary centers in a population largely composed of women with overweight BMI and radiographic knee osteoarthritis, which may limit generalizability. Results apply to this specific patented oral formulation used as add-on therapy to usual care.