Hyaluronic acid eases symptoms of knee arthritis, says European task force

Injections of hyaluronic acid in people with knee osteoarthritis have a good safety profile and a moderately beneficial effect on symptoms, concludes a review by a task force convened by the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis.

The task force recommends that injections of hyaluronic acid are a reasonable alternative for people with knee osteoarthritis who continue to have symptoms despite other treatment, or who cannot tolerate other interventions.

“Based on the available evidence and guidelines, the ESCEO recommends using intra-articular hyaluronic acid in patients remaining symptomatic despite continuous or intermittent treatment with conventional pharmacological treatment modalities (ie acetaminophen, symptomatic slow-acting drugs, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), as well as in patients with comorbidities precluding the use of NSAIDs,” the task force outlines in Arthritis Care & Research.

This is the first time that a group of experts has recommended systematic repeated intra-articular hyaluronic acid treatment in knee osteoarthritis patients who had a beneficial response with a previous cycle of treatment.

Click here to read the original research.

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