The Effectiveness of Balneotherapy in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis and Its Effect on Inflammation, A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether balneotherapy triggers inflammation and improves the disease activity, pain and quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis Materials and Method: This study was planned as a prospective, controlled, single-blind study. A total of 60 patients were divided into two groups. Group I was treated balneotherapy. No additional treatment was applied to the control group. All the patients continued their daily routine lifestyles and pharmacological treatments. Assessments were made using the Pain VAS, Patient Global VAS, BASFI, BASDAI, ASQoL, WBC, ESR and CRP at the beginning of treatment and at the end of treatment (day 21). Results: Compared to the pre-treatment period, there was a statistically significant improvement in both groups’ pain at the end of the treatment in BASFI, in the Balneotherapy group (VAS), in the patient’s global assessment (VAS), in ASQoL and BASDAI. A comparison between groups before treatment revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in terms of pain (VAS), patient’s global assessment (VAS), BASFI and BASDAI whereas, after treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in the data except pain (VAS).A comparison of difference scores revealed that there was a statistically significant change in pain (VAS), patient’s global assessment (VAS), ASQoL, BASFI and BASDAI whereas there was no statistically significant difference between WBC, ESR and CRP. Conclusion: Balneotherapy is well tolerated and balneotherapy combined with pharmacological treatment may improve the beneficial effects of treatment in ankylosing spondylitis patients.

Keywords

• Ankylosing Spondylitis,Balneotherapy,Inflammation

Ankilozan Spondilitli Hastalarda Balneoterapinin Etkinliği ve İnflamasyona Etkisi, Pilot Çalışma

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, balneoterapinin, ankilozan spondilitli hastalarda hastalık aktivitesi, ağrı, yaşam kalitesine ve inflamasyona etkisini araştırmak. Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu çalışma prospektif, kontrollü, tek kör bir çalışma olarak planlandı. Toplam 60 hasta iki gruba ayrıldı. I. gruptaki hastalara balneoterapi uygulandı. Kontrol grubuna ek bir tedavi uygulanmadı. Tüm hastalar günlük rutin yaşam tarzlarına ve farmakolojik tedavilerine devam etti. Hastalar tedavinin başlangıcında ve tedavinin sonunda (21. gün) Ağrı VAS, Hasta Global VAS, BASFI, BASDAI, ASQoL, WBC, ESR ve CRP ile değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Her iki grupta da; tedavi öncesine göre tedavi sonunda BASFI de, balneoterapi grubunda ağrı (VAS), hastanın global değerlendirmesi (VAS), ASQoL ve BASDAIde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı iyileşme tespit edildi. Gruplar arası karşılaştırmada tedavi öncesi verilerde ağrı (VAS), hastanın global değerlendirmesi (VAS), BASFI ve BASDAI de istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark varken, tedavi sonrası iki grup arasında ağrı (VAS) hariç diğer verilerde istatistiksel anlamlı fark yoktu. Fark skorları karşılaştırıldığında ise ağrı (VAS), hastanın global değerlendirmesi (VAS), ASQoL, BASFI ve BASDAIde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı değişim varken WBC, ESR ve CRP arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark saptanmadı. Sonuç: Ankilozan Spondilitli hastalarda balneoterapi iyi tolere edilebilir ve uygun hastalarda farmakolojik tedaviler ile birlikte uygulanması tedavinin yararlı etkilerini artırabilir.

Keywords

• Ankilozan Spondilit,Balneoterapi,İnflamasyon

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