Long-term efficacy of intra-articular viscosupplementation in delaying hip osteoarthritis radiographic progression: a retrospective, non-controlled study from the ANTIAGE registry.

Abstract

Objective: Viscosupplementation is a recognized treatment for improving pain and joint function in the long term. The study aimed to analyze the radiological changes after 2 years of treatment with HyalOne® (Hyalubrix® 60 Italian brand name) in patients with symptomatic hip osteoarthritis (OA). The primary objective was to evaluate the ability of delaying hip OA progression, measured by the percentage of patients showing no radiological Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grade change ≥1 at 2 years. Secondary objectives included variations in pain at rest, Lequesne index, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) intake after 2 years of treatment.

Methods: Data of patients suffering from symptomatic hip OA treated with HyalOne®/Hyalubrix® 60 were selected from the ANTIAGE national registry. The analysis included 78 patients aged 50 to 80 years with radiological and clinical OA (K-L grade 1-3), body mass index ≤35, and at least 2 years of radiological follow-up. Patients with significant comorbidities or who received previous treatment within two years after HyalOne®/Hyalubrix® 60 were excluded.

Results: This retrospective observational non-controlled study showed that intra-articular injections with HyalOne®/Hyalubrix® 60 were well tolerated and may help maintain clinical and radiographic stability in patients with hip OA. At 2-year follow-up, the K-L grade remained stable in 72 hips (92.31%). Symptom reduction was also observed, supporting lower NSAID consumption and the avoidance of the related adverse events.

Conclusions: These results are clinically meaningful and support the treatment with HyalOne® as a valuable background therapy for maintaining clinical and radiographic stability in patients with hip OA.