Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34781952›Full record

ArticleBMC musculoskeletal disorders2021

METHODS - A randomised controlled trial of METhotrexate to treat Hand Osteoarthritis with Synovitis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Yuanyuan Wang, Andrew J Teichtahl, Graeme Jones, Helen I Keen, Catherine L Hill, Anita E Wluka, Jessica Kasza, Flavia M Cicuttini

Open access · goldAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 28% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Yuanyuan WangDepartment of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Andrew J TeichtahlDepartment of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Graeme JonesMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
Helen I KeenRheumatology Group, School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
Catherine L HillThe Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University of Adelaide, Woodville, SA, 5011, Australia.
Anita E WlukaDepartment of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Jessica KaszaDepartment of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Flavia M CicuttiniDepartment of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. Flavia.Cicuttini@monash.edu.
Monash University · AUQueen Elizabeth Hospital · AUUniversity of Tasmania · AUUniversity of Western Australia · AU

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia APP1127981
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHand osteoarthritis is a common and disabling problem without effective therapies. Accumulating evidence suggests the role of local inflammation in causing pain and structural progression in hand osteoarthritis, and hand osteoarthritis with synovitis is a commonly encountered clinical phenotype. Methotrexate is a well-established, low-cost, and effective treatment for inflammatory arthritis with a well-described safety profile. The aim of this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial is to determine whether methotrexate reduces pain over 6 months in patients with hand osteoarthritis and synovitis.

methodsNinety-six participants with hand osteoarthritis and synovitis will be recruited through the Osteoarthritis Clinical Trial Network (Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, and Perth), and randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive either methotrexate 20 mg or identical placebo once weekly for 6 months. The primary outcome is pain reduction (assessed by 100 mm visual analogue scale) at 6 months. The secondary outcomes include changes in physical function and quality of life assessed using Functional Index for Hand Osteoarthritis, Australian Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index, Health Assessment Questionnaire, Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire, Short-Form-36, tender and swollen joint count, and grip strength, and structural progression assessed using progression of synovitis and bone marrow lesions from magnetic resonance imaging and radiographic progression at 6 months. Adverse events will be recorded. The primary analysis will be by intention to treat, including all participants in their randomised groups. DISCUSSION: This study will provide high-quality evidence to address whether methotrexate has an effect on reducing pain over 6 months in patients with hand osteoarthritis and synovitis, with major clinical and public health importance. While a positive trial will inform international clinical practice guidelines for the management of hand osteoarthritis, a negative trial would be highly topical and change current trends in clinical practice.

trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), ACTRN12617000877381. Registered 15 June 2017, https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=373124.

Indexed as

OsteoarthritisSynovitisAustraliaCanadaDouble-Blind MethodHumansMethotrexateMulticenter Studies as TopicQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeMethotrexateFunctionHandMethotrexateOsteoarthritisPain

Identifiers

PMID34781952
PMCPMC8591971
OpenAlexW3213141748

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.