140 patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade II-III) and ultrasonographic evidence of synovitis were included in this trial to determine the effects of prolonged corticosteroid use on cartilage loss and pain. Patients were randomized to injections of triamcinolone acetonide or saline every 12 weeks for a period of two years. The outcomes assessed included cartilage loss and damage (MRI), pain, function, and adverse events. The results of this trial indicated that corticosteroid treatment led to a greater loss of cartilage at 2 years compared to the saline group, with no significant differences in pain outcomes between groups.