Extract
To The Editor:The conclusions reached in the study, "Therapeutic Effects of
Hyaluronic Acid on Osteoarthritis of the Knee. A Meta-Analysis of Randomized
Controlled Trials"
(2004;86:538-45), by Wang et
al.—namely, that "the therapeutic efficacy and safety of
intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid for the treatment of
osteoarthritis of the knee" was confirmed—seems to be in conflict
with a paper that appeared in JAMA just a few months ago1.
In that meta-analysis, the authors concluded: "Intra-articular
hyaluronic acid has a small effect when compared with an intra-articular
placebo. The presence of publication bias suggests even this effect may be
overestimated."