HA (combined HMW and LMW) vs CONT or IAS at time of best response
| Outcome | Comparison | NMA ES (95% CI) | Number of studies | TMA ES (95% CI) | I2 (%) | Egger's p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WOMAC pain | HA vs CONT | −0.19 (−0.32 to −0.06) | 7 | −0.19 (−0.32 to −0.06) | 48.9 | 0.26 |
| HA vs IAS | −0.06 (−0.28 to 0.16) | 2 | −0.06 (−0.28 to 0.17) | NA | NA | |
| IAS vs CONT | −0.13 (−0.39 to 0.13) | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| WOMAC stiffness | HA vs CONT | −0.12 (−0.27 to 0.03) | 6 | −0.12(−0.27 to 0.03) | 55.1 | 0.51 |
| HA vs IAS | −0.17 (−0.50 to 0.16) | 1 | −0.17 (−0.36 to 0.01) | NA | NA | |
| IAS vs CONT | 0.05 (−0.31 to 0.41) | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| WOMAC function | HA vs CONT | −0.19 (−0.32 to −0.05) | 7 | −0.19 (−0.32 to −0.05) | 50.8 | 0.38 |
| HA vs IAS | −0.29 (−0.53 to −0.05) | 2 | −0.30 (−0.58 to −0.01) | NA | NA | |
| IAS vs CONT | 0.10 (−0.18 to 0.38) | NA | NA | NA | NA | |
| OARSI responder | HA vs CONT | 1.11 (1.01 to 1.20) | 4 | 1.10 (1.01 to 1.19) | 0 | 0.27 |
| HA vs IAS | 1.15 (1.02 to 1.30) | 2 | 1.15 (1.01 to 1.30) | NA | NA | |
| IAS vs CONT | 0.96 (0.82 to 1.11) | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Likelihood of statistical heterogeneity (I2 statistic with a value >50% representing important statistical heterogeneity) and publication bias (Egger's weighted regression statistic with a p<0.05 suggesting a higher likelihood of publication bias).
CONT, control; HA, hyaluronic acid; HMW, high molecular weight; IAS, intra-articular corticosteroids; LMW, low molecular weight; NA, not applicable; NMA, network meta-analysis; TMA, traditional meta-analysis.