David D. Waddell

Viscosupplementation is defined as the use of intra‐articular hyaluronan therapy for symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA). Originally used for the treatment of ophthalmic disorders, viscosupplementation has been available for over a decade in the United States for the treatment of pain secondary to OA of the knee in patients who have not responded adequately to conservative oral pharmaceuticals including nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatories and simple analgesics. The majority of patients with symptomatic knee OA will have evidence of meniscal and/or articular surface pathology, and most orthopaedic surgeons include arthroscopic surgery as a possible treatment modality for the symptomatic patient. Although arthroscopic meniscectomy is the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedure in the United States, in patients with concomitant OA, disease‐related pain can persist after arthroscopic surgery. This article reviews some of the more recent evidence recommending the use of viscosupplementation for the management of symptomatic knee OA and pain relief after arthroscopy.

BACKGROUND: Total knee replacement (TKR), a last resort for treating knee pain due to osteoarthritis (OA), is not always medically indicated or preferred by many patients. Hylan G-F 20 is a cross-linked hyaluronan derivative approved for the treatment of pain due to OA of the knee after other conservative approaches have failed. OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the effect of hylan G-F 20 on patient need for TKR as measured by time from hylan G-F 20 injection to TKR, and (2) assess patient factors that might influence time from hylan G-F 20 therapy to TKR. METHODS: This is a retrospective case series review of the medical records of patients seen in 1 orthopedic specialty practice. The incidence and time to TKR in patients who were TKR candidates (100% grade IV OA [severe]) treated with 1 or more courses of intra-articular hylan G-F 20 injections (3 weekly injections per course) were determined from October 1997 to November 2003. Survival analysis was used to evaluate time to T...

Treatment with intra-articular viscosupplementation with hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid) and its derivatives is an important component of the management of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Several intra-articular hyaluronan formulations are now available that vary in their physical properties, duration of effect and treatment schedules. Although aspects regarding their mechanism of action are not completely understood, numerous clinical trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses have confirmed the efficacy of intra-articular hyaluronan therapies for relieving OA-related pain and improving joint function. Data indicate that intra-articular hyaluronan preparations provide OA pain relief that is comparable to or greater than that observed with conventional treatment, NSAID medications, intra-articular corticosteroids, arthroscopic lavage, physical therapy and exercise. Other studies indicate that multiple courses of hyaluronan are effective. Intra-articular hyaluronan formulations are well tolerated and are associated with a low incidence of adverse effects, usually localised to the injected joint. Local adverse events associated with intra-articular hyaluronan products are typically mild to moderate in severity, benign and transient, although their aetiology is unknown. The cost effectiveness of intra-articular hyaluronan has been demonstrated, but only in a limited number of studies. Cost savings with intra-articular hyaluronan can also be realised with reduction of NSAID medication use and the possibility of delaying total knee replacement, which can reduce the need for costly revision procedures. Because different intra-articular hyaluronan formulations require different numbers of injections and office visits, are associated with variable treatment costs, and provide varying degrees of efficacy, not all intra-articular hyaluronan formulations may be equally cost effective over time.

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of local adverse events (AEs) with repeat treatment of hylan G-F 20 for osteoarthritis (OA) knee pain relief in the authors' practice. Prospectively collected patient data (5-year period) was retrospectively reviewed from patients who initiated multiple courses of three weekly hylan G-F 20 injections. All local AEs (knee pain and swelling) were qualitatively and quantitatively assessed. The incidence of treatment-related local AEs was 3.4% of patients (0.8% of injections) at course 1, 13.1% of patients (4.3% of injections) at course 2, and 17.3% of patients (5.4% of injections) at course 3. The majority of related local AEs were mild to moderate and persisted for < or = 48 hours. The number of patients who discontinued injections because of local AEs was low. While the incidence of local AEs with hylan G-F 20 tends to slightly increase with subsequent courses of therapy, physicians should educate patients regarding this possibility rather than preclude them from the benefit of continued OA pain relief with repeat hylan G-F 20 therapy.

SUMMARYHylan G-F 20 (Synvisc®, Genzyme Biosurgery, Ridgefield, NJ) is aviscosupplement indicated for the treatment of pain due to osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Overall, the therapy is well toler...

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a second course of hylan G-F 20 for the treatment of osteoarthritic knee pain in patients who experienced a clinical benefit with an initial course of therapy. Research design and methods: In this prospective, open-label study, men or women (≥40 years of age) with knee osteoarthritis (OA) received three weekly injections of hylan G-F 20. Consecutive patients who requested a second course of hylan G-F 20 therapy due to OA knee pain subsequent to pain relief with a first course of therapy were enrolled between October 26, 2000 and January 18, 2001. Main outcome measures: Pain while walking on a flat surface (Western Ontario and McMaster's Universities Osteoarthritis Index, WOMAC, question A1), WOMAC domain C (physical functioning), full WOMAC, and patient and investigator overall visual analog scales (VAS). Efficacy variables were measured at baseline and at weeks 1,2,4,8,12 and 26. An analgesic washout was required before all efficacy evaluations. Results: Patients receiving at least one injection of hylan G-F 20 (n = 71) were predominantly Caucasian (84.5%) and female (64.8%), with a mean age of 65.5 years and mean weight of 200.1 pounds. The mean time between the first and second courses of hylan G-F 20 was 19.6 months (median 17.6 months). With hylan G-F 20, pain while walking on a flat surface was significantly lower (p < 0.001) than baseline at all time points up to week 26 (mean ± SEM: −1.40 ± 0.10 at week 26). Actual scores decreased from 2.4 ± 0.10 at baseline to 0.97 ± 0.11 at week 26. Scores for the WOMAC domain C, full WOMAC and patient and investigator overall VAS also significantly improved (p < 0.001) at all time points. A second course of hylan G-F 20 was generally well-tolerated, based on the low incidence of local adverse events (AEs) -only one patient (1.4%) experienced a severe event, the types of AEs, and the fact that no patients discontinued the study due to these AEs. The types of related AEs observed were not qualitatively different from those listed in the current product information and published literature. Conclusion: A second course of hylan G-F 20 therapy is an appropriate therapy for the treatment of OA knee pain in patients who had a previous favorable clinical response. For continued relief of osteoarthritis knee pain, this study supports repeat use of hylan G-F 20 in these patients.