Abstract

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive joint disease. It causes wear and tear of the articular cartilage of the joint. It is painful and symptoms include joint pain, stiffness, and tenderness. Performing daily life activities gets affected over time.

Aim and Objectives: The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness and tolerability of tramadol versus diclofenac in treating chronic pain due to knee OA and to determine Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) with the use of the drugs.

Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients of OA reporting to our hospital with chronic knee pain aged 45–65 years were divided into two treatment groups, tramadol and diclofenac groups, and received the tramadol drug and diclofenac drug orally with doses of 50 mg and 75 mg 2 times a day, respectively, for 8 weeks. Overall improvement was evaluated through various parameters.

Results: There was a 16.73% decrease in time taken to walk 100 feet in the diclofenac group and an 18.30% decrease in the tramadol group. There was a 42.85% decrease in pain score at rest in diclofenac and a 50.72% decrease in the tramadol group. A decrease in pain score during active movement was 32.4% in diclofenac and 44.8% decrease in the tramadol group. The overall incidence of ADRs reported in the study was n = 8 (16%) in the tramadol group and n = 13 (26%) in the diclofenac group.

Conclusions: Tramadol was superior to diclofenac for reducing knee joint pain, stiffness, tenderness, and difficulty in daily performing tasks. There was a significant improvement in the standard of life in patients suffering from knee OA when treated with tramadol.

Key words: Osteoarthritis; Tramadol; Diclofenac; WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index