Edouard P, Rannou F, Coudeyre E Animal evidence for hyaluronic acid efficacy in knee trauma injuries. Review of animal-model studies. Phys Ther Sport. 2013 May;14(2):116-23. doi: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2013.02.001. Epub 2013 Mar 16. Review.
Freymann U, Endres M, Goldmann U, Sittinger M, Kaps C Toward scaffold-based meniscus repair: effect of human serum, hyaluronic acid and TGF-ß3 on cell recruitment and re-differentiation. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2013 May;21(5):773-81. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2013.02.655. Epub 2013 Mar 5.
Mathies B Effects of Viscoseal, a synovial fluid substitute, on recovery after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy and joint lavage. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2006 Jan;14(1):32-9. Epub 2005 May 26.
Tan GK, Dinnes DL, Butler LN, Cooper-White JJ Interactions between meniscal cells and a self assembled biomimetic surface composed of hyaluronic acid, chitosan and meniscal extracellular matrix molecules. Biomaterials. 2010 Aug;31(23):6104-18. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2010.04.018. Epub 2010 May 14.
Thein R, Haviv B, Kidron A, Bronak S Intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid following arthroscopic partial meniscectomy of the knee. Orthopedics. 2010 Oct 11;33(10):724. doi: 10.3928/01477447-20100826-11.
Waddell DD, Bert JM The use of hyaluronan after arthroscopic surgery of the knee. Arthroscopy. 2010 Jan;26(1):105-11. doi: 10.1016/j.arthro.2009.05.009. Epub 2009 Nov 25. Review.
Westrich G, Schaefer S, Walcott-Sapp S, Lyman S Randomized prospective evaluation of adjuvant hyaluronic acid therapy administered after knee arthroscopy. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ). 2009 Dec;38(12):612-6.
Early Viscosupplementation After Partial Meniscectomy: a Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Randomized Trial
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.
