Research on Hyaluronic Acid Knee Injections
by Kristy Annely
zone3
Hyaluronic acid, a key component of human tissue, aiding the body’s
flexibility, mobility and moisture retention is a popular component of
many anti-aging products but can also provide a wealth of benefits in the
medical sphere. Recently, in an attempt to find effective treatment
methods for arthritis, scientists have found a strong association between
levels of Hyaluronic acid and severe knee and hip arthritis known as
osteoarthritis or OA.
The study, conducted by researches from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University Medical Center, utilized a
diverse subject base of blood samples from 753 white and black American
men and women. This research is part of the hope that early identification
and intervention can improve outcomes for people with OA, a common cause
of pain and disability among older Americans. The findings suggest that
measuring levels of Hyaluronic acid could allow doctors to help prevent
joint destruction before it can be measured on an X-ray image.
In a
similar vein, Hyaluronic acid injections have been prescribed by doctors
for over 20 years as a method for treating osteoarthritis of the knee.
Hyaluronic acid is thought to restore elasticity to the synovial fluid
that surrounds the knee joint, which is depleted in patients with
osteoarthritis of the knee. However, there is continued debate as to the
efficacy of these treatments. Recently, French researchers compared the
safety and effectiveness of the NRD101 Hyaluronic acid knee injection with
an orally administered drug, Diacerein, shown by past research to have a
structural benefit in hip osteoarthritis.
Three hundred one patients were randomly assigned to receive three
courses of NRD101 injections, each involving one injection weekly for
three weeks, every three months, along with a placebo capsule; placebo
injections and diacerein twice daily; or placebo injections and capsules.
Symptoms were evaluated both by patients and clinicians, and X-rays were
performed to evaluate the effects of treatment on the knee structure at
the beginning and end of the study. Patients in all three
groups reported improvement of their symptoms and few patients dropped out
of the study, which suggests injections are a feasible approach to
treating knee osteoarthritis. However, the doctors did conclude that
further studies were needed to evaluate other treatment approaches using
this route of administration.
Furthermore, based on research by the publication American Family
Physician, although clinical experience and studies of available
Hyaluronic acid injection products including hyaluronan and hylan G-F 20,
are inconclusive, they appear to produce beneficial effects with minimal
adverse reactions in a significant number of patients. Thus, although
research is ongoing into the benefits of Hyaluronic acid knee injections,
it is clear that the injections are at present a viable alternative to
orally administered arthritis relief.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hyaluronic Acid promotes an understanding of hyaluronic acid, a major
ingredient in many medical and anti-aging therapies and to highlighting
places where you can safely purchase related products. For more
information go to Hyaluronic Acid and/or visit
its sister site at HGH Web for
related information.
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