Summary
Triamcinolone has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Osteoarthritis would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Osteoarthritis. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Triamcinolone to Osteoarthritis: 2 are currently recruiting; 1 is active or not yet recruiting; 4 have completed; 1 is terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT05292339). The largest enrolment is 576 participants (NCT03191903). Registration activity spans 2016 to 2024. The literature layer holds 17 publications for this pair: 5 Cochrane reviews, 4 meta-analyses, 2 systematic reviews, 1 randomised controlled trial publication and 5 clinical trial publications. Publication years run from 2005 to 2026. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Osteoarthritis ranks 302 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Structural progression is essentially universal over 10+ years without intervention; pain fluctuates but functional decline is the expected trajectory; no disease-modifying therapy exists as of 2024.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 77.5 (trials 27.5, literature 30.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 8 total: 2 recruiting, 1 active / not yet recruiting, 4 completed, 1 other |
| Linked publications | 17 (5 Cochrane reviews, 5 clinical trial publications, 4 meta-analyses, 2 systematic reviews, 1 randomised controlled trial publication) |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | Not recorded |
| Data sources | DGIdb |
| Linked via biomarker / target | APOE |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT04641351 | Corticosteroid Meniscectomy Randomized Trial 2021 | active, not recruiting | Phase 4 | 150 |
| NCT05292339 | Ketorolac in Upper Extremity Tendinopathy and Arthropathy 2023 | recruiting | Phase 4 | 160 |
| NCT03191903 | Study of Cingal™ for the Relief of Knee Osteoarthritis Compared to Triamcinolone Hexacetonide 2017 | completed | Phase 3 | 576 |
| NCT02762370 | Study to Assess the Effects of FX006 on Blood Glucose in Patients With OA of the Knee and Type 2 Diabetes 2016 | completed | Phase 2 | 33 |
| NCT04261049 | Effect of Zilretta Injection 2020 | completed | Phase 1 | 35 |
| NCT04782401 | The Effects of Ultrasound Guided Genicular Nerve Block for Knee Osteoarthritis 2020 | completed | Not applicable | 102 |
| NCT06653985 | Intra-articular Corticosteroid With Hyaluronic Acid Plus Physiotherapy for Hip Pathologies (NON-OP HIP) 2024 | recruiting | Not applicable | 100 |
| NCT05526898 | Evaluating the Effect of Adipose Tissue Processed With the SyntrFuge™ System for Knee Osteoarthritis 2024 | status unknown | Not applicable | 176 |
Published literature
- Clinical trial publication The Effects of Ultrasound-Guided Genicular Nerve Blocks Used with Local Anesthetics Alone or in Combination with Corticosteroids on Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Placebo-Controlled Randomized Clinical Trialde la Fuente-Escudero C, Den Heijer CS, Zamorano FNB et al. · Pain physician · 2026 · PMID 42013326
- Clinical trial publication Evaluation of intra-articular injection of collagen-elastin hydrogel microparticles for managing osteoarthritis-associated elbow pain in dogs: a double-blind, positive-controlled clinical trialCastro G, Elam LH, Duerr FM · Frontiers in veterinary science · 2026 · PMID 41756579
- Clinical trial publication Betamethasone and Triamcinolone Acetonide Have Comparable Efficacy as Single Intra-Articular Injections in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Double-Blinded, Randomized Controlled TrialWattanasirisombat K, Boontanapibul K, Pinitchanon P et al. · The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume · 2026 · PMID 41270194
- Clinical trial publication Efficacy of single intra-articular 2% sodium hyaluronate versus corticosteroid injection in isolated patellofemoral osteoarthritis: A double-blind, randomized controlled trialMekariya K, Manop P, Chernchujit B · Journal of ISAKOS : joint disorders & orthopaedic sports medicine · 2026 · PMID 41248880
- Clinical trial publication Comparison of the Efficacy of Conventional Radiofrequency to Intraarticular Steroid Injections for Advanced Hip Osteoarthritis: A Randomized TrialAltun HI, Eren FA, Cetingok H et al. · Pain physician · 2025 · PMID 41337764
- Meta-analysis Effectiveness and safety of intra-articular interventions for knee and hip osteoarthritis based on large randomized trials: A systematic review and network meta-analysisPereira TV, Saadat P, Bobos P et al. · Osteoarthritis and cartilage · 2025 · PMID 39265924
- Randomized controlled trial Effectiveness of prior intra-articular corticosteroid injection in elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis undergoing progressive resistance training: a randomized controlled trialBrumini C, Furtado RNV, Jones A et al. · Advances in rheumatology (London, England) · 2025 · PMID 40296068
- Cochrane review Limited Evidence to Support the Use of Intra-Articular Injection of Hyaluronic Acid for the Management of Hallux Rigidus: A Systematic ReviewButler JJ, Hartman H, Mener A et al. · Foot & ankle orthopaedics · 2024 · PMID 39086378
- Cochrane review Intra-articular corticosteroids for the treatment of osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the comparison of different molecules and dosesBensa A, Salerno M, Moraca G et al. · Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2024 · PMID 38911187
- Cochrane review Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug Injections versus Steroid Injections in the Management of Upper and Lower Extremity Orthopedic Conditions: A Systematic Review with Meta-AnalysisRhim HC, Ruiz J, Taseh A et al. · Journal of clinical medicine · 2024 · PMID 38398445
- Cochrane review Intra-Articular Injection of Botulinum Toxin for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled TrialsSconza C, Leonardi G, Carfì C et al. · International journal of molecular sciences · 2023 · PMID 36674999
- Cochrane review A review of the efficacy of intraarticular hip injection for patients with hip osteoarthritis: To inject or not to inject in hip osteoarthritis?Rampal S, Jaiman A, Tokgöz MA et al. · Joint diseases and related surgery · 2022 · PMID 35361105
- Meta-analysis Symptomatic Efficacy of Pharmacological Treatments for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and a Network Meta-Analysis with a 6-Month Time HorizonBeaudart C, Lengelé L, Leclercq V et al. · Drugs · 2020 · PMID 33074440
- Systematic review Effect of corticosteroids on articular cartilage: have animal studies said everything?Vandeweerd JM, Zhao Y, Nisolle JF et al. · Fundamental & clinical pharmacology · 2015 · PMID 26211421
- Systematic review Intra-articular and soft tissue injections, a systematic review of relative efficacy of various corticosteroidsGarg N, Perry L, Deodhar A · Clinical rheumatology · 2014 · PMID 24651914
- Meta-analysis Intraarticular corticosteroid for treatment of osteoarthritis of the kneeBellamy N, Campbell J, Robinson V et al. · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2006 · PMID 16625636
- Meta-analysis Intraarticular corticosteroid for treatment of osteoarthritis of the kneeBellamy N, Campbell J, Robinson V et al. · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2005 · PMID 15846755
Mechanism and notes
No mechanism of action is recorded for this pair in the source databases.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target APOE. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Triamcinolone approved for Osteoarthritis?
Triamcinolone has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Osteoarthritis would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Osteoarthritis. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Triamcinolone in clinical trials for Osteoarthritis?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 8 registered trials linking Triamcinolone to Osteoarthritis: 2 are currently recruiting; 1 is active or not yet recruiting; 4 have completed; 1 is terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT05292339). The largest enrolment is 576 participants (NCT03191903). Registration activity spans 2016 to 2024.
What does the evidence show for Triamcinolone in Osteoarthritis?
Triamcinolone has both completed registered trials and synthesis-level publications linked to Osteoarthritis. That is the strongest profile in this database, but the summaries here do not extract effect sizes, so read the linked reviews for direction and magnitude of benefit. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target APOE. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.