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Medical Treatment: Intra-Articular Injections of Hyaluronic Acid

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Articular Cartilage Defects of the Knee

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Abstract

Intra-articular injections (IAIs) of hyaluronic acid (HA) are commonly used for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA). This review chapter aims to define the efficacy of IAIs of HA in the treatment of knee OA. A PubMed (MEDLINE) search of the years 2010 and 2011 (1 January 2010 to 31 December 2011) was performed using three key words: efficacy, HA and knee. The number of initial articles in English that were identified was 26. Four of them were eliminated because they focused on other joints (not the knee). The remaining 22 articles were then selected for this review. Some articles were in favour and some were against the efficacy of IAIs of HA for knee OA; some papers compared the efficacy of HA and other drugs; finally, a number of articles were focused on other issues related to the use of HA in knee OA. Evidence-based medicine (systematic review, Cochrane Library) seems to support the use of the HA in the treatment of knee OA. However, difficulties in conducting adequate clinical trials have resulted in the appearance of multiple meta-analyses whose findings are not congruent. IAIs of HA can be considered when the patient has not found pain relief from other therapies. A 3–5 doses regimen is usually recommended with 1 week interval between each injection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, “La Paz” University Hospital-IdiPaz, Paseo de la Castellana 261, 28046, Madrid, Spain

    E. Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán

  2. School of Medicine , “Autónoma” University, Madrid, Spain

    E. Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán

  3. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, “12 de Octubre” University Hospital, Avenida de Córdoba s/n, 28041, Madrid, Spain

    Hortensia De la Corte-García

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  1. E. Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán
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  2. Hortensia De la Corte-García
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Correspondence to E. Carlos Rodríguez-Merchán .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Capitan Blanco Argibay 21-G-3A, Madrid, 28029, Spain

    E. Carlos Rodrìguez-Merchán

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Rodríguez-Merchán, E.C., De la Corte-García, H. (2012). Medical Treatment: Intra-Articular Injections of Hyaluronic Acid. In: Rodrìguez-Merchán, E. (eds) Articular Cartilage Defects of the Knee. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2727-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2727-5_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-2726-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-2727-5

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