Evaluation the efficacy and safety of intra-articular injection treatment with high molecular weight HA in patients affected by moderate to severe glenohumeral osteoarthritis

Hyaluronic Acid Intra-Articular Injections in Patients Affected by Moderate to Severe Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Randomized Study.

Article specifications

This clinical trial was published in 2017 in Journal of Joints. (IF 2015:3.97) by American specialists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intra-articular injection treatment with high molecular weight HA (Hyalubrix, 30 mg/2 mL, molecular weight > 1,500 kDa) in patients affected by moderate to severe glenohumeral osteoarthritis (OA). Seventy-eight patients, affected by shoulder OA grade II-IV were randomized in two groups. Patients included in case group were treated with three intra-articular injections of HA and a specific physiotherapy program, whereas patients included in the control group received the only physical therapy. The evaluation of functional status of treated shoulder, range of motion, and pain was performed before treatment and at the final follow-up examination by means of the Constant score. The safety evaluation of the treatment was also performed recording any adverse events.

 

Result

This study showed that the combination of intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid (Hyalubrix, 30 mg/2 mL) with physical therapy program was more effective in comparison with the only physical therapy in reducing pain in patients affected by glenohumeral OA.