Product Differences in Intra-articular Hyaluronic Acids for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Altman RD, Bedi A, Karlsson J, et al. · The American Journal of Sports Medicine

Argues higher-molecular-weight and cross-linked HA products show larger treatment effects than low-MW products — the main citation behind molecular-weight marketing claims.

Population

Systematic assessment of HA products by molecular weight in knee OA trials

Intervention

High-molecular-weight (>=3000 kDa) HA products

Comparator

Low-molecular-weight HA products

Limitations

Author industry relationships with HA manufacturers; subgroup-level inference; the large 2022 BMJ meta-analysis found no clinically relevant benefit regardless of product.