Arthritis News:

Synvisc Relieves Pain of Knee Osteoarthritis

Synvisc provides significant improvements in symptoms of pain, stiffness and physical functioning for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, according to two papers published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage.

The papers report on a one-year study of 255 patients with knee osteoarthritis taking place at 14 sites in Canada. The patients were treated with appropriate care either with Synvisc (Hylan G-F 20) or without it. Appropriate care could include such treatment options as acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, ice, heat, and weight reduction.

Researchers found that patients treated with Synvisc experienced a 38 percent improvement in measurement of pain compared with 13 percent for the non-Synvisc group. The Synvisc group also experienced greater improvements in measurements of joint stiffness, physical functioning and quality of life than the non-treated group.

"Synvisc provides physicians with a treatment option that offers significant pain relief and improved physical function for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee," said George W. Torrance, PhD, co-author of the study.

Synvisc is manufactured by Genzyme Biosurgery. Synvisc is administered in three injections over a 15-day period and can provide up to six months of osteoarthritis pain relief. Studies have shown that most pain relief and greatest amount of treatment success occurs 8 to 12 weeks after start of treatment with Synvisc.

The most common side effects of Synvisc are temporary pain, swelling, and/or fluid accumulation in the injected knee.

Source: Arthritis Week of July 28, 2002