Publication activity in water treatments: Web of Science-based bibliometric analysis of the last two decades.

We evaluated the quantity and quality of scientific publications linked with water treatments using the Web of Science (WoS) database. The WoS was searching by using the following terms "hydrotherapy," "balneotherapy," "spa therapy," "spa treatment," "creno-balneotherapy," "water treatments," and "aqua therapy," on February 10th, 2022. The recorded data were the total number of articles, year of articles, country of articles, journal, document type, index data, and citation data. Also, the studies performed with natural source mineral water were marked to make a further subgroup analysis through quality and quantity. We obtained 816 articles; 667 (81.74%) were original research articles, and 149 (18.26%) were review articles. A statistically significant and increasing trend was shown in the publication about water treatments (p < 0.01). About three-quarters of the trials were sourced from high-income countries. Italy (n = 98; 12.01%); Turkey (n = 75; 9.19%); Australia (n = 65; 7.97%); Brazil (n = 46; 5.64%); and France (n = 38; 4.66%) were the most productive countries. Calculating the number of articles per million population, Hungary (3.38), Australia (2.53), and Italy (1.64) ranked in the top three. According to 100 billion dollars GDP, the top three countries were Brazil (24.41), Hungary (21.15), and Turkey (10.41). In the average citation calculation, the Netherlands (60.84), Israel (29.86), and Australia (29.06) were in the top three. The International Journal of Biometeorology was the leading journal for publication trials about water treatments. In the subgroup analysis, we found the total number of studies performed with natural source mineral water and non-specified source water trials as 430 and 386, respectively. We also presented that the natural source and non-specified water trials had a statistically significant and increasing trend between 2000 and 2021 (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). The trials performed with natural source water mainly were sourced from Italy (n = 79; 18.37%), Turkey (n = 61; 14.19%), France (n = 38; 8.84%), Poland (n = 30; 6.98%), and Hungary (n = 29; 6.74%), the trials performed with non-specified water were sourced from Australia (n = 61; 15.80%), Brazil (n = 46; 11.92%), USA (n = 27; 6.99%), Italy (n = 19; 4.92%), and England (n = 18; 4.66%). The top journal of the natural source water trials was the International Journal of Biometeorology (n = 65; 15.12%), and for the non-specified water trials, it was the International Journal of Sports Physiology (n = 12; 3.11%).Our study presented an increasing trend in trial publications regarding water treatments between 2000 and 2021. Most of the trials were from high and upper-middle-income countries. We suggest that by demonstrating global productivity worldwide, our results can create more scientific attention on this topic and may promote the quantity and quality of the trials.

Balneotherapy in spondyloarthropathy: A systematic review.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the effectiveness of balneotherapy on spondyloarthritis. METHODS: Two authors independently searched the CENTRAL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, EMBASE and WEB OF SCIENCE databases until July 2017, for randomized controlled trials published in French or English, that included participants, and interventions: adults with spondyloarthritis, treated by balneotherapy program or one of its components and compared with any other intervention or no treatment. Internal validity, external validity, quality of the statistical analysis, and publication bias were systematically evaluated. We report the best level of evidence. RESULTS: Nine articles were selected; the internal validity was high in two studies, average in one study, and low in six studies. With high internal validity, one study found a difference for pain between immersion in radon-rich water and tap water for the whole population or rheumatic disease, but the BASFI is not improved for the subgroup of patients with spondyloarthritis. The other study with high validity reported a significant 28-week improvement in quality of life and a composite index. In a study with moderate internal validity involving ankylosing spondylitis patients with associated with inflammatory bowel disease, a balneotherapy program demonstrated a relevant clinical improvement when compared to patients on waiting list. With low internal validity, TNFa inhibitors+spa therapy were found to be superior to a treatment with TNFa inhibitors alone in patients with psoriatic arthritis. CONCLUSIONS: Two trials with high validity demonstrated improvements, but this systematic review is not sufficient to prove the efficacy of balneotherapy in spondyloarthritis. More trials are needed with larger sample size to confirm the preliminary results observed and conclusively determine the benefits of balneotherapy.

YouTube as a source of information for water treatments.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the quality and reliability of YouTube videos as a source of information in water treatments. We searched videos on YouTube ( www.youtube.com ) using the following keywords: "health resort medicine," "spa treatment," "spa therapy," "hydrotherapy," "thermal medicine," "balneology," and "balneotherapy" on June 17th, 2021. The global quality scale (GQS) was used to evaluate the quality of the videos. The assessment of reliability was evaluated using the modified DISCERN tool. Some other video parameters and sources of the videos were also recorded. One hundred twenty-one (121) videos were analyzed. The most common video source was advertisement (46.3%). GQS and modified DISCERN median scores were generally low. They were superior for "hydrotherapy" and "balneotherapy" and were also higher in videos uploaded by health-related persons or organizations (physicians, health-related professionals, and health-related websites). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between investigated parameters (like view ratio, number of likes, video power index, video length) and GQS. Only video length was correlated with modified DISCERN for investigated parameters. The median video power index scores were statistically higher for "spa therapy" and "spa treatment." The YouTube content linked with water treatments has poor quality and reliability most of time. The hydrotherapy and balneotherapy keywords have the best quality and reliability.We think that designers of water treatment videos should involve health professionals more often so that the content of their video will better explain the details of medical conditions or interventions.The scientific experts should ensure a consensus in terminology to straighten the awareness of water treatments for patients and physicians.

Peloidotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot randomized clinical trial.

To evaluate the additional effect and safety of peloidotherapy to usual care at short- and middle-term in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA patients were recruited in the medical ecology and hydroclimatology department of Istanbul Medical Faculty and were randomized into two parallel groups. Peloidotherapy group was treated with heated mudpack (41-42 °C) on painful and active joints (5 days/week, during 2 weeks) + usual care. Control group received usual care alone. Randomization was performed by using a computer-generated table of random numbers and was blinded. The sequence was concealed until interventions were assigned. The investigator was blinded. The assessments were done before and after the intervention, 1 month and 3 months after the completion of treatment. The main criterion was the number of patients with low disease activity (DAS 28 ≤ 3.2) at the end of follow-up. Other judgment criteria were pain (VAS), patient's global assessment (VAS), physician's global assessment (VAS), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), Disease Activity Score (DAS 28), CRP, and ESR. Fifty-six patients were recruited and analyzed: 29 in peloidotherapy group and 27 in the control group between 11/2011 and 02/2012. At the third month, 9/29 patients were with low disease activity in peloidotherapy group and 4/27 in the control group (p = 0.15). There was a statistically significant improvement in favor of peloidotherapy group for HAQ during all follow-up period (0.25 vs 0.63, p = 0.007 at the end of the treatment, 0.29 vs 0.68 p = 0.007 at the 1st month and 0.30 vs 0.59, p = 0.040 at the 3rd month). Pain (35vs50, p = 0.028), patient's global assessment (37vs53, p = 0.028), physician's global assessment (33vs48, p = 0.030), and DAS28 (3.76vs4.58, p = 0.049) improved significantly more in peloidotherapy group at the 3rd month. There were no between group differences for ESR and CRP. There were no important adverse events. There is no significant improvement for the main criteria so we can't conclude that peloidotherapy has additional effect over usual care. But most of the other judgment criteria improved more in the peloidotherapy group than in the control group and peloidotherapy was well tolerated. A trial with higher statistical power is necessary to if we want to reveal the effects on disease activity and confirm the short and middle term efficiency of this treatment modality on pain and quality of life.

Spa Therapy for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia: An Open, Randomized Multicenter Trial.

Fibromyalgia is a common chronic pain pathology with an incidence of 4.3 per 1,000 person-years. An open, randomized clinical trial of patients with fibromyalgia comparing an immediate vs. delayed 18-day spa therapy in five spa therapy care facilities in France enrolled 220 patients. Randomization was in blocks of four, stratified by center, severity of fibromyalgia and previous spa therapy. Patients continued usual treatment. The main endpoint was the number of patients achieving minimal clinically important difference at 6 months, defined as 14% change in their baseline fibromyalgia impact questionnaire score. The intention-to-treat analysis included 100 and 106 patients in the intervention and control groups, respectively. At 6 months, 45/100 (45.0%) and 30/106 (28.3%) patients in the intervention and control groups, respectively, achieved a minimal clinically important difference (P= .013). There was also a significant improvement in pain, fatigue, and symptom severity (secondary outcomes) in the intervention group but not for generic quality of life (QOL), sleep or physical activity. None of the 33 serious adverse events reported by 25 patients were related to the spa therapy. Our results demonstrate the benefit of spa treatment in patients with fibromyalgia. PERSPECTIVE: A 12-month, open, randomized clinical trial of 220 patients with fibromyalgia compared an immediate versus delayed (ie, after 6 months) 18-day spa therapy. The results showed a clinically significant improvement at 6 months for those who received immediate therapy which was maintained up to 12 months. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02265029.

Recommendations of the French Society of Rheumatology on pharmacological treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To establish recommendations for pharmacological treatment of knee osteoarthritis specific to France. METHODS: On behalf of the French Society of Rheumatology (SFR), a bibliography group analyzed the literature on the efficacy and safety of each pharmacological treatment for knee osteoarthritis. This group joined a multidisciplinary working group to draw up recommendations. Strength of recommendation and quality of evidence level were assigned to each recommendation. A review committee gave its level of agreement. RESULTS: Five general principles were established: 1) need to combine pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, 2) personalization of treatment, 3) symptomatic and/or functional aim of pharmacological treatments, 4) need to regularly re-assess the treatments and 5) discussion about arthroplasty if medical treatment fails. Six recommendations involved oral treatments: 1) paracetamol should not necessarily be prescribed systematically and/or continuously, 2) NSAIDs, possibly as first-line, 3) weak opioids, 4) strong opioids, 5) symptomatic slow-acting drugs of osteoarthritis, and 6) duloxetine (off-label use). Two recommendations involved topical agents (NSAIDs and capsaicin<1%). Three recommendations involved intra-articular treatments: corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections that can be proposed to patients. The experts did not draw a conclusion about the benefits of platelet-rich plasma injections. CONCLUSION: These are the first recommendations of the SFR on the pharmacological treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Usual care including home exercise with versus without spa therapy for chronic low back pain: protocol for the LOMBATHERM' study, a multicentric randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Low back pain is highly prevalent and a major source of disability worldwide. Spa therapy is frequently used to treat low back pain, but the associated level of evidence for efficacy is insufficient. To fill this knowledge gap, this protocol proposes an appropriately powered, prospective, evaluator-blinded, multi-centre, two-parallel-arm, randomised (1:1), controlled trial that will compare spa therapy in addition to usual care including home exercise (UCHE) versus UCHE alone for the treatment of chronic low back pain. METHODS: Eligible patients (anticipated sample size of 358) will have had low back pain for more than 3 months and scores for pain greater than 40 mm on a visual analogue scale (VAS). Following initial consent for UCHE and baseline evaluations, patients are randomised (1:1) to UCHE alone, or UCHE plus spa therapy (18 days of mud packs, underwater massages, showers and water exercises under medical supervision). Patients in the latter arm will be requested to sign an additional consent form as per Zelen randomisation. Follow-up visits will occur at approximately months 1, 6 and 12 and (along with baseline assessments) will cover changes over time in VAS pain scores, the impact of lower back pain on daily life (the Rolland and Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ)), inappropriate fears and beliefs about lower back pain (the fear, avoidance, belief questionnaire (FABQ)), general quality of life (the Euroqol Group 5 dimension, 5 level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5 L)), Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS), consumption of analgesic drugs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and overall state of health. Health resource use and days of sick leave (and subsequently the associated costs) will also be recorded. The primary outcome is the presence/absence of a clinically relevant change (improvement of at least 30%) in the VAS score for pain at 6 months. DISCUSSION: Despite the fact that previous, rather dated recommendations encourage spa therapy for the treatment of low back pain, the current literary corpus is methodologically poor. This protocol has been designed to provide results spanning a thorough range of outcomes at the highest evidence level possible. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03910023. Registered on 10 April 2019.

Comparison of intermittent and consecutive balneological outpatient treatment (hydrotherapy and peloidotherapy) in fibromyalgia syndrome: a randomized, single-blind, pilot study.

To compare the efficacy of intermittent and consecutive balneological outpatient treatment (hydrotherapy and peloidotherapy) in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). A parallel 1:1, single-blind, pilot study was performed. Patients were recruited from musculoskeletal disorders outpatient clinic. Eligible participants were patients aged 18-60, diagnosed as FMS according to ACR 2010 criteria. They were randomly assigned to either consecutive or intermittent treatment groups. Both groups received 20 min of full body immersion in a tap water pool at 38-39 °C and 30 min of mud pack application on the back region at 45 °C. Delivery of the treatment was five times weekly during 2 weeks in consecutive group and two times weekly during 5 weeks in intermittent group. The primary outcomes were pain intensity and the number of patients achieving a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) on Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) at the 1st month after the completion of the treatment. Statistical analyses were based on intention to treat method. The assessing physician was blinded. Pain intensity significantly decreased in all post-treatment evaluations of both groups (except after treatment in the intermittent group). There was no significant difference between the groups. MCID for FIQ was achieved in 6 (24%) patients in the consecutive group and 12 (48%) in the intermittent group at the 1st month. There was no statistical difference in the secondary judgment criteria. The consecutive and intermittent deliveries of balneological outpatient treatment (hydrotherapy and peloidotherapy) seem to have similar effects on the clinical status of patients with FMS.

Interacting forces of predation and fishing affect species' maturation size.

Fishing is a strong selective force and is supposed to select for earlier maturation at smaller body size. However, the extent to which fishing-induced evolution is shaping ecosystems remains debated. This is in part because it is challenging to disentangle fishing from other selective forces (e.g., size-structured predation and cannibalism) in complex ecosystems undergoing rapid change.Changes in maturation size from fishing and predation have previously been explored with multi-species physiologically structured models but assumed separation of ecological and evolutionary timescales. To assess the eco-evolutionary impact of fishing and predation at the same timescale, we developed a stochastic physiologically size-structured food-web model, where new phenotypes are introduced randomly through time enabling dynamic simulation of species' relative maturation sizes under different types of selection pressures.Using the model, we carried out a fully factorial in silico experiment to assess how maturation size would change in the absence and presence of both fishing and predation (including cannibalism). We carried out ten replicate stochastic simulations exposed to all combinations of fishing and predation in a model community of nine interacting fish species ranging in their maximum sizes from 10 g to 100 kg. We visualized and statistically analyzed the results using linear models.The effects of fishing on maturation size depended on whether or not predation was enabled and differed substantially across species. Fishing consistently reduced the maturation sizes of two largest species whether or not predation was enabled and this decrease was seen even at low fishing intensities (F = 0.2 per year). In contrast, the maturation sizes of the three smallest species evolved to become smaller through time but this happened regardless of the levels of predation or fishing. For the four medium-size species, the effect of fishing was highly variable with more species showing significant and larger fishing effects in the presence of predation.Ultimately our results suggest that the interactive effects of predation and fishing can have marked effects on species' maturation sizes, but that, at least for the largest species, predation does not counterbalance the evolutionary effect of fishing. Our model also produced relative maturation sizes that are broadly consistent with empirical estimates for many fish species.

Intensive spa and exercise therapy program for returning to work for low back pain patients: a randomized controlled trial.

We aimed to determine whether a 5-day intensive inpatient spa and exercise therapy and educational program is more effective than usual care in improving the rate of returning to work at 1 year for patients with subacute and chronic low back pain (LBP) on sick leave for 4 to 24 weeks. We conducted a 12-month randomized controlled trial. LBP patients were assigned to 5-day spa (2 hr/day), exercise (30 min/day) and education (45 min/day) or to usual care. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients returning to work at 1 year after randomization. Secondary outcomes were pain, disability and health-related quality of life at 1 year and number of sick leave days from 6 to 12 months. The projected recruitment was not achieved. Only 88/700 (12.6%) patients planned were enrolled: 45 in the spa therapy group and 43 in the usual care group. At 1 year, returning to work was 56.3% versus 41.9% (OR 1.69 [95% CI 0.60-4.73], p = 0.32) respectively. There was no significant difference for any of the secondary outcomes. However, our study lacked power.

The role of mineral elements and other chemical compounds used in balneology: data from double-blind randomized clinical trials.

The aims of this study were to conduct a systematic literature review on balneotherapy about the specific therapeutic role of mineral elements and other chemical compounds of mineral waters and derivate peloids/muds and to discuss the study methods used to evaluate it (in musculoskeletal conditions). We searched Medline by PubMed using the following key words: "spa therapy" "balneotherapy" "mud" "peloid" "mud pack Therapy" in combination with "randomized controlled trial" "double blind trial." We also reviewed the reference list of articles retrieved by the Medline search. We selected the double-blind randomized clinical trials that assessed the effects of mineral water or mud treatments compared to tap water, attenuated peloid/mud therapy or similar treatments without the specific minerals or chemical compounds of the treatment group ("non-mineral"). We evaluated the internal validity and the quality of the statistical analysis of these trials. The final selection comprised 27 double-blind randomized clinical trials, 20 related to rheumatology. A total of 1118 patients with rheumatological and other musculoskeletal diseases were evaluated in these studies: 552 of knee osteoarthritis, 47 of hand osteoarthritis, 147 chronic low back pain, 308 of reumathoid arthritis, and 64 of osteoporosis; 293 of these participants were assigned to the experimental groups of knee osteoarthritis, 24 in hand osteoarthritis, 82 of low back pain, 152 with reumathoid arthritis, and 32 with osteoporosis. They were treated with mineral water baths and/or mud/peloid (with or without other forms of treatment, like physical therapy, exercise…). The rest were allocated to the control groups; they received mainly tap water and/or "non-mineral" mud/peloid treatments. Mineral water or mud treatments had better and longer improvements in pain, function, quality of life, clinical parameters, and others in some rheumatologic diseases (knee and hand osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis) compared to baseline and non-mineral similar treatments. Internal validity and other limitations of the study's methodology impede causal relation of spa therapy on these improvements. Randomized clinical trials are very heterogeneous. Double-blind randomized clinical trials seem to be the key for studying the role of mineral elements and other chemical compounds, observing enough consistency to demonstrate better and longer improvements for mineral waters or derivate compared to tap water; but due to heterogeneity and gaps on study protocol and methodology, existing research is not sufficiently strong to draw firm conclusions. Well-designed studies in larger patients' population are needed to establish the role of minerals and other chemical compounds in spa therapy.

Spa therapy and knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a public health problem that will probably increase in the future with the aging of the population. Crenobalneotherapy is commonly used to treat OA, but evidence from previous reviews was not sufficient. This systematic review aimed to identify the best evidence for the clinical effect of crenobalneotherapy for knee OA. METHODS: We systematically searched MEDLINE via PubMed, PEDRO and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for articles published up to September 2015. Articles were included if trials were comparative, if one or more of the subgroups had knee OA with separate data, and if spa therapy or any hydrotherapy techniques involving mineral water or mineral mud was compared to any other intervention or no treatment. Statistical validity, external validity and quality of side effects assessment were evaluated by personal checklists. Risk of bias was assessed by the CLEAR NTP. RESULTS: Treatments (hot mineral water baths, mud therapy, hot showers, and sometimes massage and supervised water exercises) delivered in spa centers across Europe and the Middle East seem to improve symptoms in knee OA. They may be effective for pain and function. There are conflicting results about the effect on quality of life and drug consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements with spa therapy for knee OA appear to be clinically relevant until 3 to 6 months and sometimes 9 months.

Spa therapy for generalized osteoarthritis: an open, observational, preliminary study.

OBJECTIVES: Open, prospective study to evaluate the effect of spa therapy on generalized osteoarthritis (GOA). METHODS: Patients diagnosed as GOA were recruited from a private outpatient clinic. The treatment protocol was designed with 6 different spa modalities, 3 for each consecutive day, during 18 days. Interventions were Berthollet's technique (local mineral water cloud application), peloidotherapy, hydrotherapy, under water /standard (dry) massage, supervised water exercise, bath in hydro-massage pool, bath in tub with hydro-jets, free immersion in mineral water pool. The primary outcome was a clinically relevant improvement in 50% of patients at the end of the treatment. Statistical analyses were based on intention-to-treat method. Health care providers were blinded to the study. RESULTS: Ninety nine patients were included between March 7th-April 29th 2011 and all were analyzed for the primary outcome. Clinically relevant improvement was observed in 61% of the patients at the end of the treatment, and 68% at the 8th month. Patient acceptable symptom state was achieved in 33% of the patients at the 3rd week and 75% at the 8th month and Outcome Measures in Rheumatology-Osteoarthritis Research Society International Criteria (OMERACT-OARSI criteria) response in 41% of the patients at the 3rd week and 19% at the 8th month. Improvement was also observed in other judgment criteria evaluating pain, function and quality of life and continued until the 8th month for some of the parameters. No serious adverse effect was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Spa treatment may improve the clinical status of patients with GOA and seems to be well tolerated.

Balneohydrotherapy in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency.

BACKGROUND: Physical therapy has not been evaluated much for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency before. The question is whether balneohydrotherapy and usual care combined is superior to usual care alone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a randomized trial comparing spa therapy versus waiting list patients were treated on an out-patient basis in a private spa center. Patients had to be between 18 and 80 years old, with chronic venous insufficiency (stage 3 or 4 according to the CEAP classification). The balneohydrotherapy group received 18 days of treatment in Aix-Les-Bains spa center continuing their usual care. The control group continued their usual care as well during the study. The balneohydrotherapy program consisted of Kneipp therapy (10 minutes), walking 10 minutes in a special mineral water pool with underwater jets at 23 °C, massage and bathing in a mineral water tub at 34 °C. The main outcome criterion was the number of patients with 20 % self assessed improvement on the Chronic Venous Insufficiency Questionnaire at three months after therapy. RESULTS: 192 patients were assessed for eligibility, 99 were randomized 5 retired drew back their consent and were not included in the intention to treat analysis. None were lost to follow up. After three months 32 (66 %) patients improved in the balneohydrotherapy group and 13 (28 %) in the control group. The difference between groups was significant (odd ratio 5.08 [1.94 - 13.55], relative risk reduction 2.33 [1.42 - 3.84]).There were no serious side effects. CONCLUSIONS: Balneohydrotherapy seems to improve quality of life of patients with chronic venous insufficiency.

Prevalence of generalized osteoarthritis in a population with knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of generalized osteoarthritis in patients with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: Patients with knee osteoarthritis were recruited for a therapeutic trial via press announcement and selected based on American College of Rheumatology radioclinical criteria for femorotibial arthritis. Patients were asked to bring all their radiographs to the study visits, which included a physical examination. Each patient had an inclusion visit and a second visit 1 month later. The study physicians used a standardized chart to indicate clinical and radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis in each patient. At the hands and feet, the presence of clinical criteria was sufficient for the diagnosis of osteoarthritis. The shoulders and elbows were not assessed. Three criteria sets for generalized osteoarthritis were evaluated: Kellgren and Moore criteria (Heberden's nodes or interphalangeal osteoarthritis), ACR criteria (osteoarthritis of the spine and at least two other joints), and Dougados criteria (bilateral finger osteoarthritis or osteoarthritis of the spine and both knees). RESULTS: We included 302 patients for whom the side affected with knee osteoarthritis was known. Mean symptom duration was 5.9±5.7 years, mean number of painful flares was 10.1±9.4, mean number of joints with osteoarthritis was 2.6±1.8, and mean body mass index was 29.5±5.3 kg/m(2). A family history of osteoarthritis was noted in 154 (51%) patients and spinal osteoarthritis in 148 (49%) patients. Kellgren-Moore criteria for interphalangeal osteoarthritis were met in 42 (13.9%) patients, ACR criteria by 124 (41%) patients, and Dougados criteria by 127 (42%) patients. In all, 156 (52%) patients met at least one of the three definitions of generalized osteoarthritis. CONCLUSION: More than half the patients included in a therapeutic trial in knee osteoarthritis had generalized osteoarthritis with maximum symptoms at the knee at baseline. Some patients with osteoarthritis in multiple joints met none of the three criteria sets for generalized osteoarthritis. Further studies are needed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of current criteria sets and, if needed, to identify new criteria.

Non-drug treatment (excluding surgery) in rheumatoid arthritis: clinical practice guidelines.

OBJECTIVES: Because drugs do not halt joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), non-drug treatments are an important adjunct to drug treatment. Establishing rules governing their use is difficult because treatment is multidisciplinary, complex, and difficult to assess. The aims of these guidelines were to (a) establish the indications for physical therapies and for educational, psychological, and other non-drug interventions, (b) address social welfare, occupational, and organizational issues. METHODS: A systematic literature search (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Pascal, Cochrane Library, HTA database) (1985-2006) was completed with information obtained from specialty societies and the grey literature. A review of the studies meeting inclusion criteria, with evidence levels, was used by a multidisciplinary working group (18 experts) to draft guidelines. Consensus was reached when evidence was lacking on key topics. The draft guidelines were scored by 60 peer reviewers, amended when necessary, and then validated by the HAS Board. RESULTS: Of the 1819 articles retrieved, 817 were analysed and 382 cited in the report. Low-power randomized clinical trials constituted the highest level of evidence. Grade B guidelines (intermediate evidence level) concerned aerobic activities, dynamic muscular strengthening, and therapeutic patient education. Grade C (low evidence level) concerned use of rest orthoses or assistive devices, balneotherapy and spa therapy, self-exercise programmes, and conventional physiotherapy. Professional agreement (no scientific evidence) was reached for orthotic insoles and footwear, chiropody care, thermotherapy, acupuncture, psychological support, occupational adjustments, and referral to social workers. CONCLUSION: Aerobic activities, dynamic muscular reinforcement, and therapeutic patient education are valuable in non-drug management of RA.