Total hip replacement rate in patients with symptomatic hip osteoarthritis following intra-articular sodium hyaluronate

Total hip replacement rate in a cohort of patients affected by symptomatic hip osteoarthritis following intra-articular sodium hyaluronate (MW 1,500–2,000 kDa) ORTOBRIX study.

Article specifications

This retrospective cohort study was published in 2012 in journal of Clinical rheumatology (IF2012:2.042) by Italian rheumatologist and orthopedics. This study included 176 patients suffering from hip OA which candidate for total hip replacement (THR) treated with ultrasound-guided intra-articular injections of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid sodium salt with a range of 1,500–2,000 kDa 2005 to 2007. Each patient received a single 4 ml (60 mg) intra-articular injection of ultrasound-guidance HyalOne® into the affected hip every 6 months; if clinically requested, it was possible to administer up to two additional injections, with a maximum of one injection per 3- month period, in any 1 year. Total number of performed injections was so distributed in the three groups: Group A, 240 injections (with a mean of 3.87 injections for patient during the follow-up study); Group B, 87 injections (with a mean of 4.14 injections for patient); and Group C, 522 injections (with a mean of 5.61 injections for patient). Patients were followed-up every 3 months, assessing pain on a 100-mm VAS, Lequesne OA score, throughout the whole study period (48 months).

Results

Result of this study showed that At 24 months, 159 out of 76 (90 %) patients did not undergo to THR. At 48 months, 82 % (N0144) of the study population treated with intra-articular hyaluronic acid avoided THR so it Sayed that hyaluronic acid given by ultrasound-guided injection seems to delay THR in symptomatic hip OA patients in actual clinical practice. hip Viscosupplementation should be considered as conservative treatment to perform before candidating patients to THR.