No abstract

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is an indicator of cartilage breakdown. The current study compared the effect of a mixture of avocado-soybean unsaponifiables with celecoxib on serum levels of COMP in knee osteoarthritis patients. In a randomized controlled trial, patients with knee osteoarthritis were recruited from those attending Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad, Iran. The patients were randomly divided into two groups; group 1 (n=30) received avocado+soybean mixture (300 mg daily) and group 2 (n=30) received celecoxib (200 mg/day) for 2 months. At enrollment and then every month for 2 months, venous blood samples were collected from patients to measure serum COMP. The total number of patients was 60 (male 38%, female 62%) with a mean age of 56±7 years. Before treatment, serum COMP levels were 14.5±1.4 unit/liter (U/L) and 13.9±1.4 U/L in the avocado+soybean and celecoxib groups, respectively (P value=0.052). After the first month, serum COMP levels were 12.3±1.5 U/L and 12.8±1 U/L in the avocado+soybean mixture and celecoxib groups, respectively (P value<0.001). After two months, serum COMP levels were 9.2±1.9 U/L and 10.1±1.6 U/L in the avoca-do+soybean and celecoxib groups, respectively (P value=0.066). There was no significant difference in COMP levels or percentages of COMP reduction (33.8% vs. 30.3%) between the two groups at the end of the study (both P value=0.06). Both avocado+soy combination and celecoxib reduced serum COMP levels with no statistically significant difference between the two groups.