Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis With Use of Intraarticular Glucocorticoids Versus Hyaluronic Acid
Study (n=791) found glucocorticoids injections do not increase osteoarthritis progression risk, with similar radiographic progression to those receiving hyaluronic acid, based on measures of joint space narrowing, Kellgren/Lawrence grade and medial joint space width.
Source:
Arthritis & Rheumatology
SPS commentary:
An editorial notes that in the study, there may have been a signal suggesting a trend toward fewer joint replacements in the glucocorticoid group than the hyaluronic acid group, and while there was an attempt to control for the effects of multiple glucocorticoid injections, it is unfortunate that the safety of regularly repeated glucocorticoid injections was not addressed. Nonetheless, it suggests these findings offer reassurance of the relative safety of intraarticular glucocorticoids in patients with knee osteoarthritis, and whatever risk there is with the use of these agents, it is likely quite small, and in any case, likely negligible relative to the risks associated with other intraarticular therapies, though comparable conclusions could not be formed regarding frequently repeated injections.