The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of one single intra-articular (IA) injection of HYALUBRIX 60® plus physical exercise program (PEP) in terms of pain reduction, compared to PEP alone, in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).
Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the primary causes of pain and disability worldwide, associated with functional restrictions, morphological changes in the subchondral bone, articular cartilage degeneration and damage to the surrounding soft tissue. \[Heiden TL, 2009; Di Cesare PE, 2009, Fernandes L, 2013\]. In the degradation of articular cartilage, functional limitation and pain, underlies the quantitative and qualitative alteration of hyaluronic acid (HA), the main component of synovial fluid and cartilage, in a pathophysiological process influenced by a wide variety of risk factors \[Balazs, E.A, 1993\]. In OA patients, HA is depolymerized and eliminated faster than in healthy subjects, due to chronic inflammation \[Legré-Boyer, V., 2015\]. HA concentration is significantly decreased in patients with end-stage knee OA \[Bagga, H et al, 2006\]. HA used intra-articularly in the treatment of OA is known to increase viscosity of the synovial fluid, facilitate gliding via layer formation on the cartilage and protect soft tissue from trauma by acting as a shock absorbent \[Legré-Boyer et al., 2015; Cooper et al., 2017; Bowman et al., 2018\]. HA also soothes the pain and exerts an immunomodulatory effect on inflammatory cells \[Pelletier, J.P, 1993\]. HA has a delayed onset of action in comparison with IA corticosteroids, but a longer-lasting benefit \[Bannuru, R.R., 2009\]. HYALUBRIX 60® is a CE-marked medical device of class III consisting in a 1.5% solution of non-modified HA (60mg/4ml) obtained from bacterial fermentation with high molecular weight. HYALUBRIX 60® exhibits a behavior very similar to the synovial fluid that it replaces. In particular, it confers proper rheological properties, trans-synovial fluid buffering, and permeability to metabolites and macromolecules. This post-market, monocentre, randomized, controlled clinical investigation is designed to enrol a relatively young, active population of subjects with knee OA and to compare responses to treatment with one IA HYALUBRIX 60® injection plus physical exercise program (PEP), versus a PEP alone. Because PEP or exercise programs may be considered the first line standard of care in OA knee pain, particularly in younger, active patients \[Nelson AE et al. 2014\], the hypothesis of the study is that HYALUBRIX 60® combined to PEP, provides greater relief of pain associated with knee OA in the enrolled study subjects than with use of PEP alone. The primary endpoint pain relief is measured after 2 months, but observation will last up to 12 months and effects on both pain relief and physical function will be evaluated at 1, 2, 6, and 12 months after single injection (in the HYALUBRIX 60® treated arm), through WOMAC index. Selection of dose was done on the basis of a previous randomised clinical trial (RCT) (Clementi et al, 2018) conducted on 50 patients, that showed no significant difference between the two groups (single injection and injection repeated after 3-4 weeks) for beneficial long-term pain relief and functional improvement in terms of VAS score, WOMAC score and Lequesne index at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. A clinical improvement was observed as early as at 1 month in each treatment group and continued until 1 year with no difference in the development over time between the two treatment groups.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
60
1.5% solution of non-modified HA (60mg/4ml) obtained from bacterial fermentation with high molecular weight.
UOC Medicina Fisica e Riabilitativa SMC09, AOU Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy
Roma, Italy
RECRUITINGPain reduction from baseline
Pain intensity will be measured by means of the WOMAC Pain VAS scale (Scale A) (1-100 mm). The mean change in WOMAC Pain VAS score in the target knee from baseline to 2 months will be the primary efficacy endpoint.
Time frame: 2 months
Pain reduction from baseline
Pain intensity will be measured by means of the WOMAC Pain VAS scale (Scale A) (1-100 mm). The mean change in WOMAC Pain VAS score in the target knee
Time frame: 1,2, 6 and 12 months
Reduction of Stiffness, physical function and overall WOMAC in the target knee from baseline
Stiffness, physical function and overall WOMAC improvement, as change of WOMAC scores (Scale B, C, Total WOMAC) (1-100 mm) in the target knee
Time frame: 1,2, 6 and 12 months
Treatment response from baseline
Change in WOMAC Pain, Physical Function and Stiffness subscale in the target knee of 0-30%, 31-50%, 51-70%, 71-90%, \>90% or worsening from baseline
Time frame: 1, 2, 6 and 12 months
EQ-5D-5L score changes from baseline
EQ-5D is a general, preference-weighted health status instrument that asks patient questions about their overall health status and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). EQ-5D measures health status using the following 5 dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activity, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression. EQ-5D has 3L and 5L versions, and 5L could increase the reliability and sensitivity (discriminatory power) while feasibility and potentially reducing ceiling effects, compared with 3L. EQ-5D-5L includes 5 levels of severity in each of five dimensions: no problem, slight problems, moderate problems, severe problems, and extreme problems.
Time frame: 2, 6, 12 months
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Improvement of physical function from baseline
Improvement of physical function such as strength, balance, and agility as differences of Time Up to Go (TUG) test performance from baseline to 1, 2, 6 and 12 months. The TUG is a transition test that assesses strength, agility and dynamic balance during multiple activities including sit-to-stand, walking short distances and changing direction whilst walking. The TUG measures (in seconds) the time taken to stand up from a standard armchair (approximate seat height of 46 cm, arm height of 65 cm), walk a distance of 3m, turn around, walk back to the chair and sit down.
Time frame: 2, 6, 12 months
Rescue medication (paracetamol) daily consumption from baseline
The consumption of daily rescue medication (paracetamol) in the overall study period required for pain relief will be evaluated using a patient diary. The number and percentage of patients who will take at least one dose of rescue medication, as well as the total amount of rescue medication taken over the study, will be analyzed.
Time frame: 12 months
Number of subjects that switched to HYALUBRIX 60® Group due to PEP failure
The study provides for subjects randomized to the PEP alone study group to cross over to HYALUBRIX 60® if improvement has not been achieved by the 2-month follow up visit.
Time frame: 2 months
Number of Adverse Events related to the treatment
Safety of HYALUBRIX 60® will be evaluated in terms of incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) over the study period.
Time frame: 12 months