Table 1 Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria:

1. male and female patients aged between 30 and 70 years

2. pain (VAS) of at least 30 mm on the day of inclusion.

3. radiographic evidence of OA of the hip (Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale 1-3),

4. chronic pain for at least 3 months prior to study entry (day 0),

5. dissatisfaction with previous attempts at non-operative management including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Exclusion criteria:

1. Kellgren and Lawrence grade 4,

2. an intra-articular hip injection (with any corticosteroid, hyaluronic acid preparation or other) within the previous three months,

3. rapid destructive hip OA.

4. a history of crystalline arthropathy or inflammatory arthritis, neuropathic arthropathy,

5. current other problem in the affected extremity,

6. allergy or hypersensitivity to any of the study medications or to contrast solutions.