Osteoarthritis Clinical Trials in Chicago, IL

Compared to the knee and shoulder, the hip joint leaves relatively little space to maneuver arthroscopic instruments and camera. To expand the potential space in the hip joint, traction is commonly applied to the operative leg through a perineal post. This is an effective technique to improve the working space for arthroscopy, however it has been associated with complications, including perineal numbness. Traction pads, used alone or with a perineal post, can reduce pressure on the perineal area, thus reducing numbness. The investigators hypothesize that positioning hip arthroscopy patients using a traction pad on a standard traction table with a perineal post will reduce the incidence and duration of postoperative perineal numbness. Read Less

The goal of this study is to create a prospective registry (\<100 patients) to show the effectiveness of the genicular artery embolization procedure overtime in reducing bilateral or unilateral osteoarthritic knee pain as measured by Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score. Read Less

Thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis (OA) is common, seen frequently in middle-aged and elderly women. While a variety of surgical treatments have been described with none superior to any other, there is no consensus on the optimal duration of postoperative immobilization. Immobilization following surgery is critical for wound healing, pain control, and aid with activities of daily living in the early recovery period, though the duration of this must be weighed against the negative impacts of immobilization, such as stiffness, contracture, and delay in return to full function. The information gained in this study may allow hand surgeons to use an evidence-based postoperative rehabilitation protocol. Thus, our goal is to compare varying durations of postoperative immobilization after thumb CMC arthroplasty in a randomized trial design. Subjects will be randomized to treatment with non-removable thumb spica plaster postoperative splint immobilization for 2 weeks or non-removable thumb spica plaster splint transitioned to cast for a total of 6 weeks immobilization following base of thumb arthroplasty. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROs) and objective metrics will be tracked in the follow-up period. Read Less

Knee replacement surgery can be performed in one of two ways. Traditionally the goal was for the new joint to be in a neutral position with respect to the femur (thigh bone). This is called Mechanical Alignment (MA). The neutral position is different than the human knee's natural position, so MA often requires the surgeon to make additional cuts to the ligaments and other soft tissue around the knee. More recently surgeons have started to place the new joint in a position that more closely replicates the natural alignment of the human knee. This is called Kinemetic Alignment (KA). KA can be done without additional soft tissue dissection but the procedure requires a higher level of precision that can be difficult to achieve in every case. Some studies have found no difference in outcomes between MA and KA, whereas others have found KA to be superior. But these were small studies or studies that did not consider patient-rated outcomes. Read Less

Prospective single-masked (study participant will be masked), randomized controlled trial to examine the influence of BMAC on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with primary knee osteoarthritis. Read Less

This is a clinical trial of people who have pain due to knee osteoarthritis at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The study will last for about 20 weeks. 180 qualified participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio (60 participants per group) to one of three treatment groups: duloxetine, celecoxib, or placebo. Participants will have an Xray, knee MRI, brain MRI, blood draws, pain sensitivity testing, and asked to fill out questionnaires. The purpose of this study is to try to predict which participants will respond to the treatment. Read Less

Total knee replacement (TKR) is a common and costly procedure widely used to relieve pain and improve function in patients with symptomatic advanced knee osteoarthritis (OA). As of 2013, the annual incidence of TKR was over 680,000 surgeries and annual costs exceeded $11 billion. Growing evidence suggests that while pain and functional status improve following TKR, physical activity (PA) typically does not surpass pre-TKR levels. Engagement in PA can meaningfully improve quality of life (QoL), pain, and function. Given the large investment in TKR, the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of TKR could be substantially increased if TKR recipients became more physically active. The Knee Arthroplasty Activity Trial (KArAT) is a randomized controlled trial and participants will be randomly assigned to one of three arms. Participants across all arms will receive usual post-operative care for TKR surgery. Participants in the first arm will complete basic study activities, such as responding to surveys and attending two in-person clinic visits. Participants in the second arm will do the same and also receive a wrist-based physical activity tracker intervention. Participants in the third arm will receive a telephonic active coaching (motivational interviewing) and financial incentives (for reaching physical activity goals) (TAC(MI)+FI) based intervention, as well as a wrist-based physical activity tracker intervention. The second and third arms will be eligible to receive lottery-based financial rewards for wearing a wrist-worn activity tracker for twenty-four months during the study. Read Less

Exercise is considered the most effective, non-drug treatment for reducing pain and improving movement in patients with osteoarthritis. Diminished muscle strength is a common symptom associated with the onset of knee osteoarthritis. The evidence supports the benefit of exercise therapy, in reducing pain and improving function in subjects with knee OA, however research to date has been unable to quantify the disease-modifying effect of any form of exercise. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate how the use of a seated compact elliptical machine (Cubii JR1) exercise program in conjunction with a standard physical therapy regimen will impact the health of individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Read Less

This study will examine and compare the changes in serum biomarkers, joint kinematics, and thigh muscle strength based on three different 8-week exercise protocols in individuals with knee pathology: Lower-body positive-pressure (LBPP) supported low-load treadmill walking and Aquatic exercise program and standard of care treadmill or community walking. Investigators hypothesize that both the 8-week exercise programs which aim to partially off-load the knee joint will be associated with a significant reduction in serum biological markers of joint disease (tissue turnover, cartilage degradation and inflammation) in response to the exercise. The serum biological markers will be directly correlated to participant reported knee pain. Both the LBPP-supported low-load and the aquatic exercise regimens will result in significant increases in thigh muscle strength about the degenerative knee which in-turn will result in diminished knee pain and enhanced joint function. Investigators aim to compare these two exercise programs to understand if benefits of one far exceeds the other as compared to standard of care treadmill or community walking. Read Less