Improvement in Knee Society Score after Twelve Months of Intra-articular Viscosupplementation of Patients with Mild to Moderate Osteoarthritis Presenting at a Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.

Objective: This study focuses on assessing the efficacy of intra-articular viscosupplementation, specifically hyaluronic acid (HA), in individuals with mild to moderate knee OA in a Pakistani population. The Knee Society Score (KSS) was employed as an outcome measure to evaluate pain and functional improvement. This study explores the potential of HA injections in providing relief, reducing pain, and improving joint function.Methods: The research methodology involves a single-center, single-arm, prospective observational study conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Patients with mild to moderate knee OA received intra-articular HA injections, and their KSS was assessed before and after a 12-month followup. The study aims to contribute pivotal insights to bridge the existing knowledge gap and formulate evidence-based guidelines tailored to the Pakistani population.Results: The study included patients with a mean age of 55.59 ± 13.351, and 14 patients received bilateral knee injections, while 11 opted for unilateral treatment. The mean BMI was 32.2 ± 4.71. Based on Kellgren and Lawrence classification, 46.2% had grade I knee OA, and 53.8% had grade II. Initial Knee Society Score and Knee Society Function Score were 72.28 ± 11.18 and 66.79 ± 15.23, respectively. After twelve months, both scores improved significantly to 81.28 ± 9.7 and 76.54 ± 15.39. The improvement was more pronounced in grade I OA. No significant differences were observed based on gender or BMI.Conclusion: Intra-articular viscosupplementation using HA emerges as a safe and effective treatment for mild to moderate knee OA. The results underscore the potential for HA to offer symptomatic relief and highlight the need for further multicenter studies with substantial sample sizes to establish a standardized treatment algorithm. The study aims to contribute to informed and effective management paradigms for knee osteoarthritis in the Pakistani context