OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical effect of sodium hyaluronate (SH) intra-articular injection in treatment of degenerative osteoarthritis (DOA) of knees. METHODS One hundred patients (116 knees) suffered from DOA were treated by SH injection intra-articularly once a week for three times. According to Lysholm scoring, clinical signs such as pain, swelling, excludes, range of movement (ROM), and the ability of walking, going upstairs and downstairs, squatting, running, were assessed before and after treatment. RESULTS Ninety-six cases were followed up for 1 to 6 months. There were obvious improvements in the signs and function of knee in 39 patients (40.6%), only some improvements in 48 patients (50.0%), and no obvious improvements in other 9 patients (9.4%). The total effectiveness rate was 74.0%. No toxic or side effect was observed. CONCLUSION Intraarticular injection of SH has a positive effect in relief of clinical symptoms and in improvement of articular function of DOA of knee.
ObjectiveTo investigate the safety and efficacy of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) by intra-articular injection for degenerative knee osteoarthritis. MethodsBetween January 2015 and January 2016, 36 patients with moderate or severe degenerative knee osteoarthritis were randomly devided into 2 groups (n=18). Intra-articular injection of 2.5-3.0 mL human umbilical cord MSCs suspension containing (2-3)×107 cells was performed once a month for 2 times as a course of treatment in the cell treatment group; sodium hyaluronate by intra-articular injection was used once a week for 5 times as a course of treatment in the control group. There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, side, stage of osteoarthritis, course of disease, and preoperative Lysholm score of the knee joint, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC), and SF-36 scale score between 2 groups (P > 0.05). The clinical efficacy was evaluated by SF-36 scale score, Lysholm score, and WOMAC score. ResultsAll patients of 2 groups received a course of treatment. The patients were followed up for 6 months. After injection, the incidences of pain and swelling in the cell treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group (χ2=16.200, P=0.000; χ2=11.688, P=0.000), but no significant difference was found in the incidence of effusion (χ2=2.118, P=0.146). In the cell treatment group, Lysholm score at 1-6 months after treatment, WOMAC score and SF-36 scale score at 2-6 months after treatment were significantly better when compared with scores before treatment (P < 0.05), and no recurrence of knee pain was observed during follow-up. In the control group, there was no significant difference in Lysholm score and SF-36 scale score between pre-and post-treatment (P > 0.05); there were significant differences in WOMAC score between pre-treatment and at 1, 2, 3 months after treatment (P < 0.05); at 3 months after treatment, 11 patients had joint pain symptoms again. No significant difference was found in the knee joint function score and SF-36 scale score at 1 and 2 months after treatment between 2 groups (P > 0.05), but the scores of the cell treatment group were significantly better than those of the control group at 3 and 6 months (P < 0.05). ConclusionIt can significantly improve the joint function and quality of life to use intra-articular injection of human umbilical cord MSCs for treating degenerative knee osteoarthritis. It takes effect after 1 month and the treatment effect can be sustained for 6 months.