THE EFFICACY OF HYALURONIC-ACID IN PATIEN TS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS OF BOTH KNEES IN RIGHT LEFT-COMPARISON - EXAMINATION WITH DYNAMOMETRY, SYNOVIAL OXYGEN PARTIAL-PRESSURE, INTRAARTICULAR TEMPERATURE AND LEQUESNE-SCORE/

In a controlled prospective randomized study we evaluated the effectiv eness of intraarticular injected hyaluronic acid regarding the changes in the parameters dynamometry, synovial oxygen partial pressure, intr aarticular temperature and the knee joint function (Lequesne score). W e examed 18 patients with osteoarthritis in both knee joints (Kellgren classification II or III according to x-ray) in right/left comparison . The evaluated parameters were measured before and after a 5-week tre atment phase with 5 intraarticular injections (one injection per week) . With regard to the efficacy results changes in dynamometric measurem ent for flexion and extension (for all angular velocities) and Lequesn e-score indicate a marked improvement after treatment with hyaluronic acid. The differences between treated and untreated knee were signific ant. In extension the p-value was 0,0008 and in flexion p = 0,0015. Th e p-value of the Lequesne-index between the verum and control group wa s p = 0,0002. After treatment values for oxygen pressure were higher t han at baseline and for the intraarticular temperature a small decreas e at the end of the treatment phase was documented. The intraarticular injection of hyaluronic acid is effective and safe in the treatment o f patients with gonarthrosis. The treatment resulted in a functional i mprovement of the knee joint and had a good pain-lowering effect in pa tients suffering from gonarthrosis.