This study will assess the efficacy of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in patients with inflammatory knee osteoarthritis confirmed by MRI-detected effusion-synovitis. Fifty participants will be randomly allocated into two groups. One group will receive active PEMF therapy at a specific optimized parameter twice a week for 8 weeks, while the other group will receive sham treatment using the same device without PEMF signal. The primary outcome is the change in WOMAC pain score, and secondary outcomes include knee function, stiffness, quality of life, and MRI-quantified structural changes.
Knee visual analogue scale (VAS) pain of <40 mm (0-100 mm)
Effusion-synovitis or Hoffa synovitis MRI semi-quantitative score of ≥2 (used to determine inflammatory subtype KOA);
Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grade II and III
Patients can listen, speak, read, and understand Chinese; understand the pilot study's requirements and are willing to cooperate with the investigator in conducting the pilot study
Other inflammatory arthritis (e.g., gout, reactive arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and seronegative spondyloarthropathy) and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Participants with usual KOA interventions/ treatments
History of knee trauma
Contraindications to MRI
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Lead sponsor
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Collaborator
Zhujiang Hospital
Collaborator