The primary objective is to determine if the proprietary tart cherry juice blend improves the pain and function in persons with knee osteoarthritis. A secondary objective is to ascertain if the blend lowers serum uric acid.
This is a prospective double blind, placebo controlled cross-over study.
The study will be performed in the Philadelphia VA Medical Center 1 South Rheumatology Clinic with patients meeting ACR criteria for Kellgren grade 2-3 knee osteoarthritis and 4-9 pain severity on a VAS. Fifty patients will be studied with each having 5 visits. Subjects will take either the proprietary cherry blend or placebo for 6 weeks and then switch. WOMAC pain and function will be the primary outcome with acetaminophen use, walking time and serum uric acid as secondary outcomes.
