air

Air is utilized as an intra-articular placebo intervention in clinical research, specifically in a study led by Rush University Medical Center for the treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. In this trial (NCT03441399), 10 ml of air is administered via ultrasound-guided injection into the knee joint. The primary purpose of using air instead of the traditional saline placebo is to eliminate any potential therapeutic or mechanical effects associated with fluid volume (saline), thereby serving as a more inert control to evaluate the efficacy of corticosteroids and saline injections. The study aims to provide a clearer assessment of the clinical response to active treatments by comparing them against a true placebo that lacks pharmacological or significant physical properties.

Other names

intra-articular air