Rheumatoid Arthritis: Ille T

Mustur D, Vesović-Potić V, Vujasinović-Stupar N, Ille T. · No affiliation provided · Srp Arh Celok Lek. · Pubmed #18959175 No free full text.

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic constantly deteriorating disease of unpredictable clinical course, with exacerbations, remissions and damaged joints. It leads to the loss of self-sufficiency, independence in performing many daily activities, decrease of working ability and invalidity. Beside physical factors, which are regarded as most responsible for the poorer quality of life of RA patients, psychological changes are also significant, such as the feeling of helplessness, hopelessness and depression. The goal of the treatment of patients with RA is to decrease illness symptoms, slow down the development of illness progression, improvement of physical functioning and provision of expert help to the RA patients to adapt to life. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to assess the influence of spa therapy on the functional condition and life quality of RA patients. METHODS: The study involved 69 patients with RA (51 female and 18 male, on average aged 55.2 +/- 11.4 years, with illness duration 12.5 +/- 7.5 years), and were a part of a cohort from Norway, suffering of inflammatory rheumatism. All the patients came for four-week rehabilitation at the Institute for Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation and Rheumatology "Dr. Simo Milosević" in Igalo, Montenegro. The RA patients underwent treatment with mud compresses, mud, mineral and pearl baths, as well as with underwater shower massage (balneotherapy) kinesitherapy and certain forms of electrotherapy with analgesic effects. The evaluation was done on admission and after completed physical therapy when we assessed RA patients' functional condition and quality of life. The functional condition was determined using the Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (MHAQ), and the quality of life using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item Questionnaire (SF-36), which encompassed eight life domains. RESULTS: After completion of 28-dayspa therapy, RA patients showed a significant improvement in functional condition. Their quality of life was significantly improved in all dimensions of SF-36 Questionnaire (p < 0.01), and the functional status (MHAQ score) was also significantly better (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Balneotherapy, together with climatic factors in Igalo, leads to a significant improvement of functional status and quality of life in patients suffering from RA.

Mustur D, Vujasinović-Stupar N, Ille T. · No affiliation provided · Srp Arh Celok Lek. · Pubmed #18720741 No free full text.

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: This is an open uncontrolled study about effects of physical treatment on disease activity parameters of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to establish if there was any improvement of disease activity parameters after four weeks of physical and spa treatment. METHOD: We compared morning stiffness, tender and swollen joint count, body pain level and Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS-28) in patients with rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, and assessed the effect of physical and spa treatment on those parameters. The research encompassed 109 patients: 69 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA group) and 40 with psoriatic arthritis (PA group). They were from Norway, staying for four weeks in June-September 2003. The groups served as their own controls--"one group pre-test post test" study. Disease activity measurement was made twice: at the beginning and at the end of treatment. The therapeutic set consisted of mud applications, kinesitherapy, mineral water pool and electrotherapy. RESULTS: At the beginning there was no significant difference in observed disease activity parameters between patients with rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis (p > 0.05). After four weeks of physical and spa treatment disease activity was significantly reduced in all observed parameters in both groups: morning stiffness (p < 0.001 RA + PA), tender joint count (p < 0.01 RA + PA), swollen joint count (p < 0.01 RA; p < 0.05 PA), body pain (p < 0.01 RA + PA) and DAS-28 score (p < 0.01 RA+PA). CONCLUSION: Physical and spa treatment, together with climatic factors in Igalo, lead to a significant reduction of disease activity parameters of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.