Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a prevalent sports-related injury affecting the knee, leading to over 120,000 ACL reconstruction surgeries in the U.S. each year. Those experiencing ACL tears are at a higher risk of developing early onset post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis (PTOA), a condition causing joint damage and pain. Despite ACL reconstruction, these individuals have a 50% higher chance of developing OA in the decades after surgery. Therefore, it is important to identify preventive measures to decrease risk for PTOA.

The PIKASO (Preventing Injured Knees from osteoArthritis: Severity Outcomes) trial, supported by a grant from the Arthritis Foundation is a multi-center randomized clinical trial designed to establish the efficacy of metformin in delaying or preventing PTOA in persons undergoing ACL reconstruction.

The PIKASO trial is led by Dr. Morgan H. Jones, MD, MPH, and Dr. Cale Jacobs, PhD, along with a team of investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), Cleveland Clinic, Emory University, Hospital for Special Surgery, Ohio State University, University of Iowa, University of Kentucky, University of Nebraska, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The study is coordinated by Brigham Coordinating Cetner (BRICC), based at OrACORe.