An assessment of the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid and polyacrylamide hydrogel in horses with osteoarthritis: Systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Abstract: For several years, hyaluronic acid (HyA) and, more recently, polyacrylamide hydrogel (PHyd) have been used to reduce lameness and pain caused by osteoarthritis. However, there is still a lack of scientific evidence of the efficacy of these substances to allow veterinary experts to make decisions about their use in horses. The objective of this study was to evaluate, through a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA), the efficacy of HyA, associated or not with other drugs, and PHyd in relieving lameness in horses with osteoarthritis. The searches for primary studies were conducted on four search platforms. The efficacy of HyA and PHyd was estimated through the relative risk difference method. Heterogeneity was observed in the efficacy of HyA, indicating long-term ineffectiveness of this drug when associated or not with anti-inflammatory drugs. In contrast, the results indicate that PHyd is an effective alternative therapy, with a long period of action in reducing lameness in horses with osteoarthritis. This study provides evidence that the application of PHyd and HyA is effective in reducing lameness caused by osteoarthritis in horses at different time periods, where PHyd has a longer time of action.
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2020-11-20 PubMed ID: 33290979DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.11.013Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Systematic Review
- Network Meta-Analysis
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This research study evaluates the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid and polyacrylamide hydrogel in relieving osteoarthritis symptoms in horses. The study found that polyacrylamide hydrogel was a more effective long-term solution than hyaluronic acid.
Research Objective
- The main goal of this study was to analyze and compare the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid (HyA) and polyacrylamide hydrogel (PHyd) in relieving the lameness symptoms associated with osteoarthritis in horses. To do this, the researchers conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) on various studies available on four different platforms.
Methods
- The researchers estimated the efficacy of HyA and PHyd through the relative risk difference method. This involved comparing the risks associated with each treatment, measured as the difference in the proportion of horses that showed improvement after being treated with HyA or PHyd.
- Heterogeneity was examined within the study, indicating variations in the results of different studies on the effectiveness of HyA.
Findings
- The research found that both HyA and PHyd were effective in reducing lameness caused by osteoarthritis at different time scales.
- However, the effectiveness of HyA was found to be inconsistent, pointing out towards its long-term ineffectiveness, irrespective of it being administered alone or in conjunction with anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Conversely, the study found that PHyd acted as an effective alternative therapy, providing a longer period of effectiveness in reducing lameness symptoms in horses suffering from osteoarthritis.
Implications
- This study offers valuable scientific evidence on the efficacy of HyA and PHyd in treating osteoarthritis in horses, thereby aiding veterinary professionals in making more informed decisions regarding their use.
- The findings suggest that in terms of longevity and consistency of effectiveness, PHyd may be a more favorable treatment option compared to HyA for managing osteoarthritis symptoms in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
da Silva Xavier AA, da Rosa PP, de Brum Mackmill L, Roll VFB.
(2020).
An assessment of the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid and polyacrylamide hydrogel in horses with osteoarthritis: Systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Res Vet Sci, 134, 42-50.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.11.013 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Federal University of Pelotas, Eliseu Maciel Faculty of Agronomy, Department of Animal Science, Eliseu Maciel Avenue, CEP 96160-000 Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Electronic address: azambujaamanda@gmail.com.
- Federal University of Pelotas, Eliseu Maciel Faculty of Agronomy, Department of Animal Science, Eliseu Maciel Avenue, CEP 96160-000 Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
- Federal University of Pelotas, Eliseu Maciel Faculty of Agronomy, Department of Animal Science, Eliseu Maciel Avenue, CEP 96160-000 Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
- Federal University of Pelotas, Eliseu Maciel Faculty of Agronomy, Department of Animal Science, Eliseu Maciel Avenue, CEP 96160-000 Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Electronic address: roll98@ufpel.edu.br.
MeSH Terms
- Acrylic Resins / therapeutic use
- Analgesics / therapeutic use
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horses
- Hyaluronic Acid / therapeutic use
- Lameness, Animal / drug therapy
- Lameness, Animal / etiology
- Osteoarthritis / complications
- Osteoarthritis / drug therapy
- Osteoarthritis / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Aykaç B, Dinç M, Nar ÖO, Karasu R, Bayrak HÇ. Comparative efficacy of polyacrylamide hydrogel versus hyaluronic acid and corticosteroids in knee osteoarthritis: A retrospective cohort study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2025 Sep 19;104(38):e44655.
- Luque RM, Henderson B, McCorkell TC, Alizadeh AH, Russell KA, Koch TG, Koenig J. Treatment outcomes for equine osteoarthritis with mesenchymal stromal cells and hyaluronic acid. Equine Vet J 2025 Sep;57(5):1245-1254.
- Miranda DG, Ramos LP, Lopes NFDS, Silva NVHF, Soares CP, Rodrigues FP, Morais VP, Sani-Taiariol T, Baldan MR, Vasconcellos LMR, Borges ALS, Grosgogeat B, Gritsch K. Ketoprofen Associated with Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel for Temporomandibular Disorder Treatment: An In Vitro Study. Gels 2024 Dec 10;10(12).
- Riley JW, Chance LM, Barshick MR, Johnson SE. Administration of sodium hyaluronate to adult horses prior to and immediately after exercise does not alter the range of motion in either the tarsus or metacarpophalangeal joints. Transl Anim Sci 2024;8:txae153.
- Reis IL, Lopes B, Sousa P, Sousa AC, Caseiro AR, Mendonça CM, Santos JM, Atayde LM, Alvites RD, Maurício AC. Equine Musculoskeletal Pathologies: Clinical Approaches and Therapeutical Perspectives-A Review. Vet Sci 2024 Apr 26;11(5).
- Lee S, Choi J, Youn J, Lee Y, Kim W, Choe S, Song J, Reis RL, Khang G. Development and Evaluation of Gellan Gum/Silk Fibroin/Chondroitin Sulfate Ternary Injectable Hydrogel for Cartilage Tissue Engineering. Biomolecules 2021 Aug 11;11(8).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
