Intra-Articular Hyaluronic Acid for Osteoarthritis of the Hip, Shoulder, and Ankle

Key Messages

What Is the Issue?

• Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease of the joints, such as the hip, shoulder, and ankle. OA causes the joints to be painful, unstable, and less functional. In adults 55 years and younger, joint trauma is a common cause of OA.
• Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring molecule found in human cells that provides lubrication when injected into the joint. HA injections are a less invasive option than surgery, with potentially fewer complications.
• To support decision-making about treating hip, shoulder, or ankle OA in adults 55 years and younger, it is important to understand the potential benefits and harms of using HA in this population.

What Did We Do?

• We reviewed the clinical effectiveness of high molecular weight (MW) injection of HA in adults between the ages of 18 and 55 years with OA of the hip, shoulder, or ankle joints to guide decisions on the use of high MW HA injection.
• An information specialist searched for peer-reviewed and grey literature sources published on January 1, 2013 to December 12, 2023. One reviewer screened citations and selected and critically appraised the included studies.

What Did We Find?

• The evidence for this report was based on observational before-and-after studies. We found no relevant comparative studies examining the effect of high MW HA versus placebo or no treatment.
• While most studies reported post-treatment outcome improvements, it is uncertain whether high MW injection of HA improves pain, function, and disability in adults 55 years and under with hip, shoulder, or ankle OA. This is due to the low-quality evidence, small sample sizes, and methodological problems. Serious side effects of high MW HA were not reported.

What Does This Mean?

• Due to the uncertainty of the clinical effectiveness evidence, health care providers and decision-makers may consider other factors when considering high MW IA-HA for patients with hip, shoulder, or ankle OA; these factors could include acceptability, feasibility, costs, health equity, and patient values and preferences.
• Future research from randomized studies in large populations is needed to understand the effectiveness and safety of high MW HA injections for hip, shoulder, and ankle OA.