title: Intra-articular drug delivery systems: Overcoming the shortcomings of joint disease therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intra-articular drug delivery is very useful for treating local disease flare-ups, synovitis and pain in joints. However, the effectiveness of drugs following intra-articular administration is limited by drug delivery issues.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This review addresses critical drug delivery parameters that influence the biocompatibility, tolerability and efficacy of intra-articular administrations and offers an opinion on aspects of formulation design.
  
  
  METHODS
  The relevant literature was reviewed, focusing on factors influencing tissue targeting, safety and effectiveness of particulate formulations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therapeutic applications of novel drug delivery systems for the localized treatment of joints have lagged significantly. Future innovations in the field will require the discovery of new therapeutic agents for regional delivery, combination regimens, novel biomaterials as drug carriers and targeting carriers to specific molecules.
authors.affiliation: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. burt@interchange.ubc.ca
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Burt
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsallas
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D013585:Synovitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004337:Drug Carriers