Efficacy and Safety of Intra-Articular Injections of Sodium Hyaluronate and Methyl Prednisolone in Treatment of Osteoarthritis Patients

The main objective of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of the intra-articular injections (IA) of Sodium hyaluronate and methyl prednisolone in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) of knee. The study was carried out in the orthopedic department with the approval of the institutional ethics committee and consent from the hospital authority of a multispeciality hospital for a period of 6 months from November 2013 to April 2014. Total number of 46 patients with OA of knee were categorized into two treatment groups, sodium hyaluronate (Group A, n= 26) and methyl prednisolone (Group B, n= 20). Group A and B patients received sodium hyaluronate IA injection once a week for continuous 3 weeks and methyl prednisolone IA injection once in 6 months. Pain score was assessed based on VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) and the recordings were done at baseline (1^st visit), review 1 (2 weeks after IA injection), review 2 (4 weeks after IA injection) and review 3 (8 weeks after IA injection). ADRs for both the treatment groups were monitored and assessed. Sodium hyaluronate significantly reduced the VAS mean pain score with baseline-6.27, review 1-5.00, review 2-3.96 and review 3- 3.15 for Group A patients and baseline -7.79, review 1-6.15, review 2-5.15 andreview 3-5.68 for Group B patients. Edema and rashes were seen in Group A patients, similarly, edema and insomnia were seen in Group B patients which was mild to moderate. Sodium hyaluronate was safe and effective for OA of knee when compared with methyl prednisolone.