No abstract

In this study 30 patients with osteo-arthritis (OA) knee (total 55 knees) were given weekly injections of high molecular weight (HMW) hyaluronic acid (HA) for 3 weeks. The subjective parameter was Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Index of Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) score which improved from 97.67±21.4 at baseline to 61.03±24.8 at six months follow-up (p=0.0001). Also the mean range of motion (ROM) of the involved knees was 125.73± 10.8 degrees at baseline and it increased to 132.64±5.2 degrees after six months (p=0.0001) of injection treatment. The objective parameter of disease modification was MRI based semi-quantitive Whole-organ Magnetic Resonence Imaging Score (WORMS) score. The mean of total WORMS score in medial femorotibial joint (MFTJ) and patellofemoral joint (PFJ) improved from baseline (28.382±10.446; 22.64±5.969) to final follow up (27.46±10.32; 21.76± 6.182) which was quite significant (p=0.0321; p=0.0294) and implies a reduced rate of cartilage destruction after injection HA though there is no regrowth of cartilage as such.