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Editor’s note: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common and important cause of pain and disability, especially in the elderly. Both intra-articular injection of corticosteroids and joint lavage to remove debris have been used as treatments to relieve pain in knees with OA. However, it is unclear whether these treatments provide any prolonged benefit. In this systematic meta-analysis, the authors reviewed randomized controlled trials comparing joint lavage with a control or joint lavage plus intra-articular steroid with joint lavage alone.