The short-term efficacy of mud therapy for knee osteoarthritis: A meta-analysis.

The objective of this review is to systematically evaluate the short-term efficacy of mud therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Randomized controlled trials, in which treatment of KOA is mud therapy, were included by systematically searching the PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases.According to inclusion criteria and searching method, 11 articles, containing a total of 1106 patients, were included in the study. Our results showed significant differences in visual analog scale pain score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (pain, stiffness, function). In addition, the heterogeneity of study included is lower (I < 25%).According to the results of this meta-analysis, mud therapy can effectively alleviate the pain and improve joint function for KOA.

Efectos de la terapia con peloides sobre el dolor percibido y la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud en pacientes con artrosis de rodilla / Effects of mud therapy on perceived pain and quality of life related to health inpatients with knee osteoarthritis

Objetivo. Analizar los efectos de la terapia con peloides sobre el dolor percibido, la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS) y el consumo de medicamentos en sujetos diagnosticados de artrosis de rodilla. Material y métodos. Ensayo clínico prospectivo y controlado. La muestra (n=147) fue dividida en un grupo experimental (GE) de 61 sujetos (69,13±5,60 años), que recibió 11 sesiones consecutivas de peloides en la rodilla afectada según el procedimiento terapéutico descrito, y un grupo control (GC) de 60 sujetos (73,08±8,90 años), que continuó con su tratamiento farmacológico rutinario. La muestra fue valorada antes y después de la intervención mediante el cuestionario SF-36, la escala visual analógica y la evolución en el consumo de medicamentos, estableciendo el nivel de significación para p≤0,05. Resultados. Tras finalizar la intervención, existieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p<0,05) en todas las variables analizadas entre el GE y GC, reduciéndose el consumo de medicamentos en el GE frente a la ausencia de cambios en el GC. Las dimensiones salud general, dolor corporal y el dolor percibido son las que muestran mayores cambios entre ambos grupos. Conclusiones. La peloterapia en pacientes diagnosticados de artrosis de rodilla obtiene efectos inmediatos sobre el dolor percibido y la CVRS, reduciendo el consumo de medicamentos específicos. Son necesarios estudios evalúen desde la evidencia científica los efectos de dicha intervención(AU)

Objective: To analyze the effects of mud therapy on perceived pain, Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) and drug use in patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis. Material and methods: A prospective, controlled clinical trial. The sample (n = 147) was divided into an experimental group (EG) of 61 subjects (69.13 ± 5,60 years) who received 11 consecutive sessions of peloids in the knee/s affected by the process described and a control group (CG) of 60 subjects (73.08 ± 8,90 years) who continued routine drug treatment. The sample was assessed before and after intervention using the SF-36, Visual Analogue Scale and changes in drug use, setting a significance level of P<=.05. Results: After the intervention, there were statistically significant differences (P<.05) in all parameters analyzed between EG and CG, reduced drug use in the EG versus no change in the CG. The general health, bodily pain and perceived pain are those that show major changes between the two groups. Conclusions: Mud therapy in patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis attains immediate effects on perceived pain and HRQOL, reducing the consumption of specific drugs. Studies are needed to evaluate the scientific evidence from the effects of such intervention(AU)

[Peloid therapy: the theoretical and practical aspects, problems and prospects of its development].

The present literature review contains the data on the history of peloid therapy, current concepts of the mechanisms of its action, and up-to-date methods of peloid applications. Special emphasis is laid on the lack of relevant information concerning selected aspects of peloid therapy, debatable views of its application and mechanisms of action. The review is concluded by the discussion of the prospects for further research and practical use of peloid therapy.

[Sapropels of the Belokurikhinskaya spa and resort area].

The deposits of therapeutic peloids in the Belokurikhinskaya spa and resort area are estimated at 120,000 cub.m. Bottom sediments in freshwater lakes of the region in the form of sapropels and low-mineralized peloids can be used for the "sparing" treatment of debilitated patients presenting with a variety of diseases associated with an impaired functional potential. It is emphasized that the development and application of the local sapropel and low-sulphide silt deposits for therapeutic purposes would be instrumental in the further extension of the remedial basis of the Belokurikhinskaya health resort.

[The role of mud-forming microflora in the generation of biological activity of therapeutic peloids from Siberia].

The authors report the results of comprehensive evaluation of medicinal salt-saturated silt sulfide peloids from the bottom deposits of several lakes in the Novosibirsk and Altai regions. These peloids are extensively used for therapeutic and recreational purposes and appear to have good prospects for even a wider application in the future. The role of autochthonous microflora in the formation of peloid biological activities and antimicrobial properties has been elucidated. Information about the sanitary, microbiological and environmental situation in the areas of peloid deposits is presented.. The therapeutic efficacy of the sulfide peloids extracted from Lake Ostrovnoye, Novosibisk region, is discussed.

[Methods for the improvement of clay quality for their therapeutic application].

The objective of this study was to develop a scientifically sound basis for obtaining composite materials for sanatorium-resort therapy by combining muds of different structure and composition with mineral waters from deposits of the Altai-Sayan tourist and recreational region. Numerous experiments with muds of the desired biochemical composition and mineral waters containing various biologically active substances yielded preparations that can be used for multiple purposes, such as activation metabolism of polymer phenolic compounds, energy metabolism, and self-cleaning processes. Mud and mineral water-based composites may contain other inorganic components, besides clays, accounting for their curative properties and capable of directed action, e.g. organic selenium compounds, glycosides, phenolic and carboxylic functional groups. The proposed technique provides a solid basis for designing materials the composition of which can be optimized as required for the treatment of concrete pathologies.

Lipophilic components of different therapeutic mud species.

OBJECTIVE: Mud, which contains organic and mineral ingredients, is used for the treatment of several degenerative diseases. It has been proposed that beneficial effects of mud are not only related to its local thermal effects, but also to its chemical components. Unlike hydrophilic components, the lipophilic components of the mud extract have not been described precisely thus far. Thus, we aimed to determine the lipophilic components of the different mud species. METHODS: Three different mud species (e.g., krenogen, tone, and fango) were analyzed by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). RESULTS: There were organic substances with fatty-acid structures found in the structure of mud. Torf mud species contain the most compounds. The compounds of three mud species differ from each other. CONCLUSIONS: The chemical structure of mud does not only contain hydrophilic organic substances, such as humic, fulmic, and ulmic acids, but also low-molecular-weighted organic substances composed of fatty acids in the majority. Moreover, it would not be appropriate to explain mud with a single term, since it has different chemical structures and a new classification of the mud species is required.

[Fine tuning of the many regulations of quality system: the role of the quality in the thermal medicine]. / Messa a punto delle varie normative che regolano il Sistema "Qualità": il ruolo della Qualità nel sistema termale.

In the last decades, quality has imposed itself as a competitive need for firms, and also as a new normative parameter to guarantee the production process and the final product which the costumer buys. In the case of health services, the importance of quality is even greater because of the special value of this service, and the special relationship between the supplier and the costumer/patient. This relationship is often mediated by the State which has to provide the health services and the financial support for them. Thus, also in the case of Thermal Medicine, quality and its certification play a key role for the evaluation of the efficiency of the health service, and tend always more to be part of the health service accreditation process. In this article, we review the development of the idea of quality of service from the ancient Egyptian until the 20th century and we briefly recall the main European and Italian norms. We also examine the norms for the accreditation of the thermal health structures, and we review the main indicators of quality in Thermal Medicine, and the role of scientific research. Finally, we indicate that the cost of the lack of quality can be so prohibitive that the firms which do not follow the new standards, are put out of the market.