The MUSE Study for Menopausal Arthralgia

Launched by NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, SINGAPORE · Jul 26, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The MUSE Study is a clinical trial designed to explore different treatments for joint pain in women experiencing menopause. The study will compare four approaches: muscle strengthening exercises alone, estrogen therapy alone, a combination of both, and standard care. This trial aims to understand how well these treatments work, how acceptable they are to patients, and how easy it is to measure their effects over a 12-week period.

To participate, women must be between 40 and 59 years old, have been experiencing joint pain for at least three months, and should have discomfort in multiple joints, not just one. Participants will need to be able to move around independently and live in the community. It’s important to note that certain health conditions, such as a history of blood clots or specific cancers, may exclude someone from joining. If you qualify and choose to participate, you’ll receive one of the treatments over the study period and contribute to important research that could improve care for women with menopausal joint pain.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• INCLUSION CRITERIA:
• • 1. Patients with muscle stiffness and joint discomfort in various sites, including hands, knees, back, hips, and/or shoulders. Patients with pain in only one isolated joint would not be accepted.
• • 2. Arthralgia symptoms with onset, or has become worse, over the perimenopausal or early postmenopausal period (within 5 years of the menopause).
• • 3. Women should be at the menopause transition, less than or equal to 59 years old at the time of enrollment, or within 5 years of menopause whichever is earlier.
• • .
• • 4. Arthralgia for at least 3 months (pain lasting beyond normal injury healing period)
• • 5. Community-dwelling and able to ambulate independently.
• EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
• • 1. History of thrombo-embolic diseases, strokes, ischemic heart disease, dementia or psychiatric disorders, active liver disease or renal impairment, severe hyperlipidemia, gout, thyroid disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, or other chronic inflammatory conditions.
• • 2. Pregnancy
• • 3. Non-adherence to national guidelines for breast cancer screening
• • 4. High risk for breast cancer
• • 5. Any joint surgery within the last 6 months
• • 6. Severe obesity: BMI\>35
• • 7. Migraine with aura
• • 8. Poorly controlled diabetes
• • 9. Use of any form of female hormone supplementation within the past 12 weeks.
• • 10. High venous thromboembolism risk
• • 11. Current cholecystitis, fibroids, or undiagnosed abnormal uterine bleeding.
• • 12. Current smoker.
• • 13. History of endometrial, ovarian, peritoneal, cervical, breast or endocrine-dependent cancers.
• • 14. Receiving treatment for any form of cancer.
• • 15. History of fragility bone fractures within the 2 years.
• • 16. Any other cognitive, musculoskeletal, neurological, and cardiorespiratory condition affecting one's ability to participate in the study.