Description
In this detailed presentation, Sanjeev Anand discusses various treatment options for osteoarthritis (OA), specifically focusing on steroid injections, hyaluronic acid (HA) injections, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). He begins by outlining the significance of these interventions, explaining that they are non-invasive options that can help delay surgery and provide effective pain relief for patients. Anand emphasizes the diversity of osteoarthritis, noting that it is not a single condition, which complicates treatment outcomes.
He articulates the scientific and clinical rationale behind these injections, acknowledging ongoing doubts about their effectiveness. Using the analogy of 'Doubting Thomas', he invites the audience to consider the complexities of OA and the challenges in finding universally effective treatments due to its various phenotypes and molecular endotypes.
Anand discusses the mechanism of inflammation in OA, explaining how steroid injections can be effective due to their anti-inflammatory properties, but might only benefit cases with inflammatory components. He highlights research showing that while steroid injections provide short-term relief, they can lead to cartilage damage if used excessively.
Transitioning to HA injections, he explains their popularity and theorized benefits for joint lubrication, likening them to a lubricant for the joints, but he cautions that evidence supporting their efficacy varies over time. Anand also introduces PRP as a growing trend, discussing its potential to promote healing while acknowledging the ongoing debates within the medical community regarding its effectiveness.
He concludes by suggesting that the future of OA treatment may lie in personalized medicine, targeting specific phenotypes with tailored therapies as more is learned about the molecular underpinnings of arthritis.