Medical Hydrology and Balneology: Environmental Aspects

Balnea
2012, núm. 6, 68-69
Medical Hydrology and Balneology: Environmental Aspects
Blinding
None of the participants were blinded to the intervention
Results
Numbers randomized
91 patients were randomized.
Recruitment
Recruitment is still continuing in order to reach 174 patients (87 in each group)
Numbers analyzed
69 patients will be analyzed in this preliminary report.
Outcomes
There were no significant differences between groups at inclusion.
Main criteria: at third month, while 24 patients improved and 13 patients did not
improve in spa treatment group; 14 improved and 18 did not in the control group
(p=0,06).
It was observed that the improvement in Quality of life (CIVIC2) was more in
favor of spa group at first month (43 vs 53, p=0.02) and third month follow-up (41
vs 51; p=0.004).
There is also a better improvement in the spa group for patient’s opinion but not
in patient’s acceptable symptom state and Rutherford classification
Harms
There were no serious side effects.
Conclusions
Spa therapy seems to improve quality of life in patients with chronic venous insufficiency
but statistical power is not sufficient to detect a clinically relevant
improvement.
Funding
Aix-Les-Bains spa center.
Keywords: Spa Therapy, Chronic Veinous Insuficiency, Quality Of Life
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