How do you know whether SYNVISC is right for your patients?

SYNVISC has been proven safe and effective in reducing osteoarthritis knee pain, which may lead to improved function.*  SYNVISC is effective across all stages of knee OA. SYNVISC is indicated for use after other simple analgesics have failed. This chart may help you determine if your patient is a good candidate for SYNVISC.

SYNVISC (hylan G-F 20) can be more effective if used in early stages¹

Radiographic Grade	Grade I	Grade II	Grade III	Grade IV
Percentage of patients judged as “better” or “much better” after SYNVISC treatment	91%	80%	76%	58%

From a retrospective chart survey of 336 patients treated with SYNVISC (1,537 total injections) ¹

*Well-controlled clinical trials demonstrate that reducing pain can help improve function as measured by WOMAC pain and function domains.^2,3

How do other knee OA treatments measure up?

If your patients have failed to respond adequately to conservative nonpharmacologic therapy and simple analgesics, e.g., acetaminophen, SYNVISC may be right for your patients. The below chart describes how SYNVISC is different from other treatment options.†

Treatment Options

Treatment Option	What it does	What makes SYNVISC different
Simple Analgesics	Provide temporary pain relief, but is not targeted to the knee	SYNVISC is injected directly into the knee to effectively treat pain locally without the need for systemic agents
NSAIDs	Systemically reduce inflammation and pain, but have been shown to cause serious adverse events, including GI bleeds and increased risk of heart attack and stroke	Because it’s a local treatment, SYNVISC reduces knee pain and allows you to avoid systemic side effects associated with NSAIDs
COX-2 Inhibitors	Selectively inhibit inflammation enzymes, but can increase the risk of heart attack and sudden death	SYNVISC reduces knee pain directly at the source and allows you to avoid systemic side effects associated with COX-2 inhibitors
Steroid Injections	Temporarily reduce inflammation, but is not a long term therapy option; repeat use is typically limited due to risk of cartilage damage	SYNVISC provides long term relief (up to six months) and can be safely repeated every six months as long as it continues to provide pain relief to patients
Surgery	Total knee replacement (TKR); not all patients are appropriate candidates for TKR surgery	SYNVISC provides long term therapy (up to six months), has been shown to prolong the need for TKR and may be the best option for those at any stage of knee OA

† Treatment with SYNVISC may not eliminate the need for other OA medications.

1. Lussier A et al. J Rheumatol. 1996;23:1579-1585.

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1. Lussier A et al. J Rheumatol. 1996;23:1579-1585.

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2. Caborn D, Rush J, Lanzer W, Parenti D, Murray C, on behalf of the Synvisc 901 Study Group. A randomized, single-blind comparison of the efficacy and tolerability of hylan G-F 20 and triamcinolone hexacetonide in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. J Rheumatol.2004;31:333-343.

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3. Brander V, Bart G, Stadler T. Functional improvement with hylan G-F 20 in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Poster presented at: American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Annual Assembly. November 9-12, 2006, Honolulu, Hawaii.

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