Abstract
Simple SummaryHyaluronic acid injections into the stifle are often used for managing osteoarthritis in dogs. Giving hyaluronic acid orally would be easier, but to date we do not have enough information regarding its effects when administered by this route. For this reason, in this study we evaluated the effects of oral administration of hyaluronic acid in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture after surgical resolution. Dogs were divided into two groups that received either oral hyaluronic acid or a placebo. We measured changes in several biomarkers of osteoarthritis before surgery, and at ten weeks after surgery. Results showed significant improvements in some of these biomarkers, namely synovial fluid levels of hyaluronic acid and paraoxonase-1. These changes indicate that post-op oral administration of hyaluronic acid may be effective for the management of stifle osteoarthritis in the dog.Hyaluronic acid (HA) intraarticular injection is used in the management of osteoarthritis in veterinary medicine. However, HA oral administration is less common given the scarce currently available scientific evidence. This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of oral HA administration on synovial fluid concentrations of several selected biomarkers in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) injury operated on using the tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) technique. Fifty-five dogs were included in this prospective, randomized, double-blind, clinical study; they were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo (group A; n = 25) or HA (group B; n = 30) orally for 10 weeks. Synovial fluid samples were obtained before surgery, and at 10 weeks postoperatively to measure concentrations of HA, haptoglobin, nitric oxide, and paraoxonase-1. After 10 weeks, group HA showed a significant increase in HA concentration (p = 0.0016) and a significant decrease in PON-1 concentration (p = 0.011) compared to baseline. In conclusion, post-op oral HA administration in canine patients with CCL injury leads to improvements in osteoarthritis biomarkers, namely higher synovial fluid HA concentrations and reduced synovial fluid paraoxonase-1 concentrations. These findings support the bioavailability of orally-administered HA and its usefulness in improving biomarkers of osteoarthritis.
Highlights
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex disease that progressively produces biochemical, structural, mechanical, and functional changes in the synovial joints
hyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan synthesized by chondrocytes and synoviocytes [6], and it is the main component of synovial fluid and extracellular matrix of cartilage
The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of oral administration of high molecular weight (HMW) HA on stifle synovial fluid concentrations of HA, haptoglobin (HAP), nitric oxide (NO), and paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) in dogs with cruciate ligament (CCL) injury operated on using the tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) technique
Summary
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex disease that progressively produces biochemical, structural, mechanical, and functional changes in the synovial joints. In dogs, osteoarthritis of the stifle can be considered both the cause and the consequence of cranial cruciate ligament rupture [2]. Treatment of this abnormality is multimodal, addressing the primary root cause and modulating the progression of the secondary disease. HA is a glycosaminoglycan synthesized by chondrocytes and synoviocytes [6], and it is the main component of synovial fluid and extracellular matrix of cartilage. It generates an appropriate environment for cell migration and proliferation, and confers viscoelastic properties to these tissues [7]. Joints with OA feature a lower concentration and molecular weight of HA [1]
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