Study: Hyaluronate Sodium Effective in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis

Hyaluronate sodium may be as effective as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for the treatment of pain and improvement of physical functioning in knee osteoarthritis, according to researchers at the University of Western Ontario.

Hyaluronate sodium, a new treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee, is injected into knee joints to relieve pain by lubricating the joint.

Researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind clinical trial to determine the impact of hyaluronate sodium compared with conventional therapy on pain, stiffness, and disability at rest and following walking and stepping activities.

One hundred twenty patients with knee osteoarthritis (average age 67) were given one of four treatments. Group 1 was given hyaluronate sodium and a placebo (lactose), group 2 was given NSAIDs and hyaluronate sodium, group three was given NSAIDs and a placebo (saline) and group four was given a placebo (lactose and saline) only.

Hyaluronate sodium or the placebo (saline) were given once weekly over three weeks and the NSAIDs or placebo (lactose) were given twice daily over a 12-week period.

At the fourth week of the study, significant improvement was seen in groups 1, 2 and 3, compared to the patients' status at the start of the study, the researchers reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Groups 1 and 2 showed significantly lower stepping pain, while no change was seen in group 4.

At week 12, groups 1 to 3 showed significantly greater improvement for resting pain, which were the same results found at week 4. Groups 1 and 2 reported significantly less activity pain when walking and stepping, while group 1 showed significantly faster walking and stepping test results. Groups 1, 2 and 3 improved walking and stepping time at week 12 compared with their status at the start of the study.

"For resting pain relief, hyaluronate sodium seems to be as effective as NSAIDs," concluded the researchers. "Further, for pain with physical activity and functional performance, hyaluronate sodium may be superior to placebo alone or NSAIDs alone."

Other sources: Archives of Internal Medicine