Abstract | OBJECTIVE: METHODS: A total of 60 patients who had a diagnosis of AS according to the modified New York criteria were included in the study. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups. In Group I ( n = 30) the patients received balneotherapy in a therapeutic pool for 30 min once a day for 3 weeks. All patients received instructions on the exercise programme, which they were requested to repeat once a day for 30 min during the study. The patients in this group continued the same exercise programme after the end of the balneotherapy protocol to complete a course of 6 months. In Group II the patients were given the same exercise protocol but did not receive balneotherapy. Patients were evaluated before the start of the study and at 3 weeks and 24 weeks. Evaluation parameters were daily and night pain, morning stiffness, the patient's global evaluation and the physician's global evaluation (according to a scoring system of 1 to 5), the Bath Ankylosing Spondilitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Dougados Functional Index (DFI), tragus-wall distance, chest expansion, modified Shober test (MST), fingertip-fibula head distance, and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). RESULTS: Evaluations were completed in 54 patients in the two groups. Comparison of the groups showed significantly superior results for Group I for parameters of BASDAI, NHP total, pain, physical activity, tiredness and sleep score, patient's global evaluation and the physician's global evaluation at 3 weeks, but only for the parameters of patient's global evaluation and MST at 24 weeks. CONCLUSION:
Balneotherapy has a supplementary effect on improvement in disease activity and functional parameters in AS patients immediately after the treatment period. However, in the light of our medium-term evaluation results, we suggest that further research is needed to assess the role of balneotherapy applied for longer durations in AS patients.
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Authors | L Altan, U Bingöl, M Aslan, M Yurtkuran |
Journal | Scandinavian journal of rheumatology
(Scand J Rheumatol)
2006 Jul-Aug
Vol. 35
Issue 4
Pg. 283-9
ISSN: 0300-9742 [Print] England |
PMID | 16882592
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
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Topics |
- Balneology
- Exercise Therapy
- Humans
- Motor Activity
- Pain Management
- Quality of Life
- Spondylitis, Ankylosing
(therapy)
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