Advances in therapy
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Advances in therapy · Nov 2013
ReviewViscosupplementation for osteoarthritis: a primer for primary care physicians.
Osteoarthritis (OA) constitutes a growing public health burden and the most common cause of disability in the United States. Non-pharmacologic modalities and conservative pharmacologic therapies are recommended for the initial treatment of OA, including acetaminophen, and topical and oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. However, safety concerns continue to mount regarding the use of these treatments and none have been shown to impact disease progression. Viscosupplementation with injections of hyaluronans (HAs) are indicated when non-pharmacologic and simple analgesics have failed to relieve symptoms (e.g., pain, stiffness) associated with knee OA. This review evaluates literature focusing on the efficacy and/or safety of HA injections in treating OA of the knee and in other joints, including the hip, shoulder, and ankle. ⋯ For primary care physicians who treat and care for patients with OA of the knee, IA injection with HAs constitutes a safe and effective treatment that can be routinely administered in the office setting.