A Fazaa1, L Souabni2, K Ben Abdelghani2, S Kassab2, S Chekili2, B Zouari3, R Hajri2, A Laatar2, L Zakraoui2. 1. Service de rhumatologie, hôpital MongiSlim, 2046 La Marsa, Tunisia; Faculté de médecine de Tunis, Tunis El Manar university, Tunis, Tunisia. Electronic address: f.alia@yahoo.fr. 2. Service de rhumatologie, hôpital MongiSlim, 2046 La Marsa, Tunisia; Faculté de médecine de Tunis, Tunis El Manar university, Tunis, Tunisia. 3. Faculté de médecine de Tunis, Tunis El Manar university, Tunis, Tunisia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the benefits of a thermal cure and non-thermal rehabilitation in treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: Randomized therapeutic trial including patients with knee osteoarthritis (American College of Rheumatology criteria). Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Spa treatment consisted of underwater shower, massage-jet showers, hydromassage, pool rehabilitation and peloid therapy. Non-thermal rehabilitation consisted of analgesic physiotherapy, muscle strengthening and group physical rehabilitation. A blinded evaluation was carried out at day 21 and 12months following treatment. It was based on the visual analogic scale of pain (VAS), which represented the primary endpoint. RESULTS:Two hundred and forty patients were included (February-June 2005). The spa treatment and non-thermal rehabilitation groups included 119 and 121 patients respectively. Two hundred and thirty-three patients completed their treatments. Significant improvement of the visual analogic scale of pain was noted in the thermal cure group (61.6±15 at day 0 versus 46.5±22.4 at 12months, P<0.001), but not in the non-thermal group (64.1±15 at day 0 versus 62±29 at 12months, P=0.68). At day 21, comparison of the two groups revealed no significant difference on the VAS (P=0.08). However, at 12months, the thermal cure group was significantly more improved (P=0.000). CONCLUSION: In our study, crenobalneotherapy had resulted, at 12months, in more pronounced long-term improvement of the painful symptoms of KOA than had non-thermal rehabilitation.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To compare the benefits of a thermal cure and non-thermal rehabilitation in treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). METHODS: Randomized therapeutic trial including patients with knee osteoarthritis (American College of Rheumatology criteria). Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Spa treatment consisted of underwater shower, massage-jet showers, hydromassage, pool rehabilitation and peloid therapy. Non-thermal rehabilitation consisted of analgesic physiotherapy, muscle strengthening and group physical rehabilitation. A blinded evaluation was carried out at day 21 and 12months following treatment. It was based on the visual analogic scale of pain (VAS), which represented the primary endpoint. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty patients were included (February-June 2005). The spa treatment and non-thermal rehabilitation groups included 119 and 121 patients respectively. Two hundred and thirty-three patients completed their treatments. Significant improvement of the visual analogic scale of pain was noted in the thermal cure group (61.6±15 at day 0 versus 46.5±22.4 at 12months, P<0.001), but not in the non-thermal group (64.1±15 at day 0 versus 62±29 at 12months, P=0.68). At day 21, comparison of the two groups revealed no significant difference on the VAS (P=0.08). However, at 12months, the thermal cure group was significantly more improved (P=0.000). CONCLUSION: In our study, crenobalneotherapy had resulted, at 12months, in more pronounced long-term improvement of the painful symptoms of KOA than had non-thermal rehabilitation.
Authors: Paulo Fávio Macedo Gouvêa; Zélia Maria Nogueira Britschka; Cristina de Oliveira Massoco Salles Gomes; Nicolle Gilda Teixeira de Queiroz; Pablo Antonio Vásquez Salvador; Paulo Sergio Cardoso Silva Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-02-09 Impact factor: 3.390