Hyaluronic acid preparations in the treatment of osteoarthritis: is it clear to us?

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive joint disease that causes persistent pain, limited joint function, disability, and loss of social activity. One of the most popular OA treatment options is intra-articular (I/A) hyaluronic acid (HA) injections. This procedure was introduced into clinical practice in the early 1980s and is used universally. To date, there is no consensus on the therapeutic value of HA. Many investigations confirm that HA is effective as not only a symptomatic agent, but also a structure-modifying one. Some works also show that the effect of HA is equal or only slightly superior to that of placebo (I/A saline injection). The review describes the mechanism of action and comparative efficacy of various (lowand high-molecular weight) HA preparations, as well as the safety of their use in real clinical practice.