Management Strategies for Knee Osteoarthritis
Summary
Knee osteoarthritis is a progressive joint disorder that imposes a substantial burden on individuals and healthcare systems worldwide. Current management emphasises a multimodal approach tailored to disease severity and patient profile. Non-pharmacological measures form the cornerstone of care, including structured exercise programmes, weight optimisation, physiotherapy modalities and bracing to correct biomechanical stress. Pharmacological strategies range from topical and oral analgesics to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, with considerations for gastrointestinal and cardiovascular safety. Symptomatic slow-acting drugs, such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate, are often prescribed for their potential chondroprotective effects. Intra-articular interventions comprise corticosteroid and hyaluronic acid injections to provide targeted relief. Emerging biological therapies, including platelet-rich plasma and mesenchymal stem cells, show promise in modulating inflammation and promoting tissue repair. Advances in drug delivery, precision medicine and tissue engineering are expanding the therapeutic armamentarium, offering prospects for improved pain control and joint preservation.
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Management Strategies for Knee Osteoarthritis publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in management strategies for knee osteoarthritis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Chondrocyte: Specialised cell responsible for cartilage synthesis and maintenance.
Hyaluronic acid: High-molecular-weight glycosaminoglycan used in intra-articular injections to lubricate and cushion joints.
Chondroitin sulphate: Glycosaminoglycan component of cartilage matrix with putative anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective properties.
Symptomatic slow-acting drugs for osteoarthritis (SYSADOAs): Oral agents that aim to reduce pain and slow structural progression over months.
Platelet-rich plasma: Autologous blood product with concentrated platelets and growth factors used to modulate inflammation and tissue repair.
Mesenchymal stem cells: Multipotent stromal cells capable of differentiating into cartilage and bone, used in regenerative therapies.
Liposome: Nanoscale vesicle composed of lipid bilayers employed for targeted drug delivery.
References
- Chondroitin Sulfate Nanovectorized by LC-PUFAs Nanocarriers Extracted from Salmon (Salmo salar) by Green Process with Decreased Inflammatory Marker Expression in Interleukin-1β-Stimulated Primary Human Chondrocytes In Vitro Culture. Marine Drugs (2024).
- Hyaluronic Acid-Based Injective Medical Devices: In Vitro Characterization of Novel Formulations Containing Biofermentative Unsulfated Chondroitin or Extractive Sulfated One with Cyclodextrins. Pharmaceuticals (2023).
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