CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
-
Review Meta Analysis
Intra-articular hyaluronic acid for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Osteoarthritis of the knee affects up to 10% of the elderly population. The condition is frequently treated by intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to assess the effectiveness of this treatment. ⋯ According to the currently available evidence, intra-articular hyaluronic acid has not been proven clinically effective and may be associated with a greater risk of adverse events. Large trials with clinically relevant and uniform end points are necessary to clarify the benefit-risk ratio.