Medical Hydrology and Balneology: Environmental Aspects

Impact of Mud Therapy in pathogenesis of
osteoarthritis
Marin V (1) , Surdu O (1-2) , Profir D (1) , Ionescu EV (1) , Demirgian S (1)
(1) Balneal and Rehabilitation SanatoriumTechirghiol. Romania
(2) Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine. University Ovidius Constanta. Romania
ionilein76@yahoo.com
Introduction and Objectives
Pathogenesis of OA is closely linked to pathogenesis of cartilage degradation.
Oxidative stress, defined as the imbalance between the production and degradation
of ROS, is considered to play an important role in mechanism of cartilage degradation.
Peroxidation of lipids, spontaneous or catalyzed by metals (iron, copper), and
self-maintained by self-catalysis, generates the production of the reactive species of
oxygen (ROS). The ROS are aggressive to cells and to macromolecules of cartilage.
Non-conventional therapies using natural factors (as mineral salted water and
peloid /sapropelic mud from Techirghiol Lake) are used on empiric basis from
ancient times and have unchallenged benefits in rheumatic pathology, but the intimate
biological mechanisms of action are yet not known.
In Techirghiol Balneal and Rehabilitation Sanatorium we used mud from
Techirghiol Lake for osteoarthritis treatment. We used the mud in different ways:
bath mud and heated mud packing.
The aim of the present study is to evaluate the antioxidant effect of mud therapy
in patients with primary osteoarthritis in order to contribute to better understanding
of the mechanism of mud treatments in osteoarthritis.
Materials and Methods
We performed a clinical study on 30 patients with osteoarthritis with different
localization. To these patients we determined the values of glutathione-reductase
(GR), total antioxidant status (TAS), superoxid-dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione
(G-SH), bicarbonic anion (HCO3-), the oxygen link capacity (O2CT), the
oxygen contents in hemoglobin (O2CAP), blood saturation in oxygen (SO2%),
partial pressure of oxygen (pO2), uric acid, lactate, blood glucose, and pH-plasma
in peripheral blood, before and after mud applications.
We took blood samples in first day before and after first mud therapy after 5
days of treatment and in the end of cure (after 12 days). All patients have got physical
therapy and exercise.
Results
The effects of mud bath it seem that it is a decrease of TAS, GR and blood glucose.
These results may suggest that mud therapy causes an extra oxidative stress.
Balnea
2012, núm. 6, 177-178
177
ISBN: 978-84-669-1887-0
978-84-669-3482-4