EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF VISCOSUPLEMENTATION IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

OBJECTIVES:The objective of this study was to conduct a literature review on viscosupplementation, which consists of intra-articular therapy with hyaluronic acid, applied in patients with knee osteoarthritis.The goal was to build a robust scientific basis that would enable healthcare professionals to make positive decisions for their patients.The review addresses the effectiveness of viscosupplementation in analgesia, reduction of joint stiffness, and improvement of knee function.In addition, possible adverse effects related to the use of this therapy were discussed, aiming to provide a comprehensive and informed view of its applications and clinical implications. MATERIALS AND METHODS:To carry out this study, a literature search was conducted in the PUBMED database on July 12, 2024.The keywords "KNEE OSTEOAR-THRITS, " " VISCOSSUPLEMENTATION, " and " INTRAARTICULAR" were used.HYALURONIC ACID, THERAPEUTICS.The search on PUBMED resulted in 125 articles, the abstracts of which were read, and the most recent articles published in the last ten years were selected, including articles in English, Spanish, and Polish, and excluding articles with conflicts of interest and articles that did not deal with the use of viscosupplementation in patients with knee osteoarthritis as the main subject of study.A total of 17 articles from the 125 found in the search were included in the final study.After the selection of the articles, four independent researchers read the texts in their entirety between August 2, 2024, and September 2, 2024.After reading the articles, the four researchers held three meetings between September 2, 2024, and October 2, 2024, during which they discussed the topic and the results of the selected articles.Finally, a table of results was compiled and the work was completed.CONCLUSION: The conclusion of this narrative review is that there is still insufficient scientific evidence in the literature to recommend the widespread use of viscosupplementation in patients with knee osteoarthritis.The main findings of the study were evidence of a mild to moderate analgesic effect, especially in patients with lower Kellgren-Lawrence grades, as well as a slight reduction in stiffness and improvement in functionality.However, no article showed a change in the natural course of the disease, and even in the conflict-free literature, there is great divergence in the results of the studies.