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Oral administration of polymer hyaluronic acid alleviates symptoms of knee osteoarthritis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study over a 12-month period

Toshiyuki Tashiro, Satoshi Seino, Toshihide Sato, Ryosuke Matsuoka, Yasunobu Masuda, Naoshi Fukui
The Scientific World Journal 2012 2012:167928

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 23226979
PubMed Central
PMC3512263
DOI
10.1100/2012/167928

Study snapshot

DesignRandomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
ModelAdults with Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2–3 knee osteoarthritis
Samplen=60 randomized
Intervention200 mg/day polymer hyaluronic acid versus placebo; both groups performed daily quadriceps strengthening exercises
Duration12 months
EndpointsJapanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM); Pain and stiffness; Activities of daily living; Radiographic progression; Safety

What the study showed, in plain terms

This year-long trial randomized 60 people with knee osteoarthritis to 200 mg/day oral hyaluronic acid or placebo; both groups also performed daily quadriceps exercises.

Symptoms improved over time in both groups. The HA group tended to improve more, with clearer between-group differences in participants aged 70 or younger at selected time points.

Because the overall treatment effect was not uniformly significant and exercise was provided to both arms, the trial supports a possible adjunctive benefit rather than a definitive OA-treatment claim.

Key findings

  • 200 mg/day was studied for 12 months.
  • Both HA and placebo groups improved on JKOM over time.
  • Participants aged 70 or younger showed significant HA-versus-placebo differences at selected months.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Small trial with attrition over a long follow-up.
  • The strongest signal came from an age subgroup rather than a uniformly significant full-sample treatment effect.
  • Daily strengthening exercise in both groups likely contributed to symptom improvement.

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology