Short-Term Efficacy of Periarticular-Perineural Dextrose Injections for Pain and Function in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review
In brief
Periarticular dextrose injections relieve knee osteoarthritis pain as well as standard non-invasive therapies
A review of eight trials (599 knees) found that dextrose injections around the joint reduced pain and improved function at short-term follow-up, performing on par with physiotherapy, exercise and other non-invasive options, and matching intra-articular injections in the early weeks. No serious side effects were reported, but the studies were low quality, so larger trials are needed before routine use.
- Journal
- Journal of integrative and complementary medicine (Q1)
- Published
- 24 July 2026
- Study design
- Systematic review of cohort studies
- Evidence level
- Level 2, Moderate (CEBM 2a)
- Authors
- Pedro Iván Arias-Vázquez, Rosa Giannina Castillo-Avila, Mauro Nicolás Guzzardo, Adalberto Loyola-Sánchez, Duilio Román Guzzardo, Russell Arcila-Novelo, et al.
- PMID
- 42494342
- DOI
- 10.1177/27683605261469666
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (top studies of the week, 26 July 2026): Systematic review of dextrose injections for KOA
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Periarticular dextrose injections have been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for individuals with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). While they have been suggested to be effective for reducing pain and improving function, their safety and efficacy have not been widely evaluated. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of periarticular-perineural dextrose injections (PPDI) in individuals with KOA and to determine their clinical potential as a therapeutic modality. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Studies that compared PPDI against other therapeutic strategies for treating KOA were included. RESULTS: Eight studies (n = 599 participants) were included. Within-group analysis showed all studies reported a statistically significant reduction in pain and improvement in functional limitations with PPDI. Between-group analysis found these injections to be equally or more effective than noninvasive treatments for pain reduction and functional limitations improvement in the short and medium term. A majority of studies reported that these injections were equally or more effective than intra-articular injections for pain and function in the short term; however, in the medium term, most studies reported intra-articular injections to be equally or more effective. No major adverse reactions or side effects were reported. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that PPDI could be a potential therapeutic intervention for individuals with KOA. However, due to the low methodological quality of the included studies, definitive conclusions cannot be drawn. Further high-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.