Evidence mapPaperPMID 42037536Full record

ArticleJournal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society2026

Cross-Linked Versus Linear Hyaluronic Acid for Cartilage Repair in Rat Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis.

Tien-Ching Lee, Chih-Ming Kao, Yi-Wun Lin, Yi-Shan Lin, Yan-Hsiung Wang, Hsuan-Fu Chen, Yin-Chih Fu

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Cross-Linked Versus Linear Hyaluronic Acid for Cartilage Repair in Rat Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis.Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society · 2026
    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

7 authors.

Tien-Ching LeeDepartment of Orthopedics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1510-8079
Chih-Ming KaoDepartment of Orthopedics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Yi-Wun LinOrthopaedic Research Center, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Yi-Shan LinOrthopaedic Research Center, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1604-0914
Yan-Hsiung WangOrthopaedic Research Center, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8161-7472
Hsuan-Fu ChenDepartment of Orthopedics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Yin-Chih FuDepartment of Orthopedics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9600-7140

Funding

Kaohsiung Medical University KMU-TC114A02Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital KMUH114-4M47SciVision Biotech Inc. Project No. S109026
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis develops following acute joint injuries and can progress rapidly, causing significant morbidity. Intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections are a common treatment, but efficacy varies between formulations. We hypothesized that cross-linked hyaluronic acid would provide superior chondroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects compared to linear hyaluronic acid in a standardized post-traumatic osteoarthritis model. Post-traumatic osteoarthritis was induced via anterior cruciate ligament transection in 84 male Sprague-Dawley rats assigned to four groups: Sham (n = 12), untreated osteoarthritis (n = 24), linear hyaluronic acid-Jetknee (n = 24), or cross-linked hyaluronic acid-HYAJOINT Plus (n = 24). At each of four time points (Day 7, Week 4, Week 8, and Week 12 post-surgery), three Sham and six rats per treatment group were sacrificed. Functional recovery was assessed by weight-bearing distribution. Cartilage integrity was evaluated histologically using hematoxylin and eosin and Safranin O staining, scored with the Osteoarthritis Research Society International histopathological grading system. Immunohistochemical expression of type II collagen, type X collagen, matrix metalloproteinase-13, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha was analyzed. Both hyaluronic acid formulations significantly improved weight-bearing compared to untreated controls. Cross-linked hyaluronic acid demonstrated more sustained functional recovery and superior cartilage preservation with lower histological scores. Immunohistochemistry revealed reduced catabolic and inflammatory marker expression with higher type II collagen in the cross-linked hyaluronic acid group. High molecular weight cross-linked hyaluronic acid conferred stronger and longer-lasting chondroprotective effects than linear hyaluronic acid, suggesting that structural optimization of hyaluronic acid formulations may confer more sustained chondroprotective effects in this preclinical model of post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

Indexed as

Cartilage, ArticularHyaluronic AcidOsteoarthritisOsteoarthritis, KneeViscosupplementsAnimalsAnterior Cruciate Ligament InjuriesDisease Models, AnimalInjections, Intra-ArticularMaleRatsRats, Sprague-DawleyHyaluronic AcidViscosupplementsACLTcartilage repairchondroprotectioncross‐linked hyaluronic acidhyaluronic acidpost‐traumatic osteoarthritisrat modelviscosupplementation

Identifiers

PMID42037536
PMCPMC13112325

What Socratic holds

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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 Socratic graph.