A randomised clinical trial from Iran highlights the potential of low-dose radiotherapy (LDRT) in treating knee osteoarthritis, particularly in earlier stages (grade 2-3).

Unlike previous studies, this double-blind sham-controlled randomised trial focused on an earlier patient selection, offering promising results for pain relief and improved quality of life.

The trail methods:

Patients above the age of 65 with confirmed osteoarthritis were randomly assigned treatment and control groups. The treatment group received 3 Gy radiation over six fractions, while the control group continued routine treatment without radiation.

Assessment involved scoring pain intensity and functional levels at pretreatment and each month following completion of therapy for six consecutive months by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Lysholm 100-point Scale, respectively. Analgesic medication usage and performance status (PS) were also assessed.

Key findings:

• Patient Selection: Patients over 65 with confirmed osteoarthritis were treated with 3 Gy radiation over six fractions, while controls received sham radiotherapy.

• Assessment: Evaluations were conducted by the same blinded rheumatologist using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Lysholm 100-point Scale.

• Outcomes: Significant improvements were observed in pain scores, functional levels, and analgesic use from the first month onwards (p < 0.01).

• Safety: No adverse effects were reported, with enhanced joint function and pain reduction.

This study builds on previous mixed conclusions about LDRT’s efficacy, suggesting its potential benefit for knee osteoarthritis patients and calling for further research into its mechanisms, especially in earlier stage disease.

Citation:

Fazilat-panah, D., Javadinia, S. A., Shabestani Monfared, A., Attarian, F., Babaei, M., Yousefghahari, B., … Fallah Tafti, H. (2025). Effects of low dose rate radiotherapy on pain relief, performance score, and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis; a double-blind sham-controlled randomized clinical trial. International Journal of Radiation Biology, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/09553002.2025.2473975

If you would like to read more about low-dose radiotherapy in treating knee osteoarthritis, we have previously summarised a trial from Russia — it found LDRT can reduce the risk of knee arthroplasty by two-thirds and has the potential to prevent 21% cases of knee arthroplasty in patients with knee osteoarthritis. You can access it at the below link:

https://iorbc.com/articles/low-dose-radiotherapy-in-treating-knee-osteoarthritis-a-trial-from-russia