Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39579218›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie2024

Intra-articular injections of ozone versus hyaluronic acid for knee osteoarthritis: a level I meta-analysis.

Filippo Migliorini, Riccardo Giorgino, Manuel Giovanni Mazzoleni, Luise Schäfer, Francesca Alzira Bertini, Nicola Maffulli

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisComparative StudySystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections for hip osteoarthritis: a level I systematic review.European journal of orthopaedic surgery & traumatology : orthopedie traumatologie · 2025
    Pooled it
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Low ozone concentrations promoteEuropean journal of histochemistry : EJH · 2026
    Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Filippo MiglioriniDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Academic Hospital of Bolzano (SABES-ASDAA), 39100, Bolzano, Italy.
Riccardo GiorginoResidency Program in Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Manuel Giovanni MazzoleniDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Academic Hospital of Bolzano (SABES-ASDAA), 39100, Bolzano, Italy.
Luise SchäferDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Eifelklinik St.Brigida, 52152, Simmerath, Germany.
Francesca Alzira BertiniDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Academic Hospital of Bolzano (SABES-ASDAA), 39100, Bolzano, Italy.
Nicola MaffulliDepartment of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University La Sapienza, 00185, Rome, Italy. nicola.maffulli@uniroma1.it.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIntra-articular injections of ozone and hyaluronic acid (HA) are routinely performed for the management of knee osteoarthritis. The present meta-analysis compared intra-articular injections of HA versus ozone in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). The outcomes of interest were to determine if intra-articular ozone injections show comparable visual analogue scale (VAS) and Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores compared to intra-articular HA injections.

methodsThis study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: the 2020 PRISMA statement. In January 2024, the following databases were accessed: PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Embase. All the randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing intra-articular HA versus ozone injections in patients with knee OA were accessed. Only studies which clearly stated that injections were performed in patients with knee OA were considered. Data concerning the VAS and WOMAC were retrieved at baseline and the last follow-up. Studies with a follow-up shorter than 4 months or longer than 6 months were not included.

resultsData from 424 patients were collected. 74% (314 of 424 patients) were women. The mean age of the patients was 61.1 ± 4.5 years, and the mean BMI was 27.8 ± 0.8 kg/m

conclusionThe current level I evidence suggests that ozone and HA intra-articular injections achieve similar pain control between 4 and 6 months of follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I.

Indexed as

Hyaluronic AcidOsteoarthritis, KneeOzoneViscosupplementsHumansInjections, Intra-ArticularPain MeasurementPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeHyaluronic AcidOzoneViscosupplementsHyaluronic acidIntra-articular injectionsKneeOsteoarthritisOzone

Identifiers

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.