One Patient, Two Knees, No Difference: Magnesium Sulfate Fails to Improve Total Knee Arthroplasty Outcomes.
J ArthroplastyApr 28, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchOrthopedic Surgery
Po-An Chen, Yu-Chu Hsueh, Yu-Chih Lin et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial investigated the effect of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) on pain and function after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in 72 adults undergoing simultaneous bilateral procedures. The study found that MgSO4 provided little to no additional analgesic benefit, with a mean paired difference in pain scores at 24 hours of +0.35 at rest and +0.21 during motion, with confidence intervals including zero.
Key findings
- At 24 hours, the mean paired difference in pain at rest was +0.35, indicating no significant improvement.
- Pain during motion at 24 hours showed a mean paired difference of +0.21, also not significant.
- No differences in range of motion or active straight-leg raise were observed at 24, 48, or 72 hours.
- No treatment-related adverse events were reported within 72 hours.
Why it matters
Understanding the efficacy of adjunct analgesics like magnesium sulfate is crucial for optimizing pain management strategies in total knee arthroplasty, potentially influencing postoperative care protocols.