A Randomized Placebo Controlled Study to Determine the Efficacy of Oral Diclofenac Sodium in the Treatment of Symptomatic Osteoarthritis of the Knee in Nnewi, South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Diclofenac sodium is a non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is widely used therapeutically for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) but no scientific study has been carried out at Nnewi, a town located in the Southeastern part of Nigeria to determine its therapeutic efficacy. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of oral diclofenac sodium in the treatment of KOA in the local population using knee joint pain intensity, quadriceps muscle strength and 30.4 metres walk-time