The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of intra-articular hyaluronic acid in the patients with knee osteoarthritis. This study being a prospective controlled study included 86 patients with osteoarthritis of knee (Kellegren II & III). The effect of intraarticular hyaluronic acid (hyalgan 500-730kda) on the clinical parameters was noted. A total of 40 males and 46 females fulfilled the inclusion criteria with an age between 55–76 years .Of them 44 received five injections of hyaluronic acid (one injection per week) and 42 received intraarticular saline injection and served as control. A reduction in lequesne score from 13.68±1.25 to 7.85±3.63 was observed (P<0.01).The pain was recorded with the help of visual analog scale of 0-100. The VAS scores were reduced at rest from 43±3 to 16±2 and during weight beaing from 73±1 to 38±2 (P<0.01). This study concluded that hyaluronic acid is effective and well tolerated in the management of chronic primary osteoarthritis.

Keywords: osteoarthritis, viscosupplementation, hyaluronan, hyaluronic acid.

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M Moeiz Dijoo

Post graduate Department of Orthopaedics, Bone and Joints Hospital Barzullah, Srinagar