THE EFFECTS OF KOLOP PELOID ON KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS IN DAY HOSPITAL CARE : A RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED, SINGLE-BLIND, FOLLOW-UP PILOT STUDY

Introduction We investigated the effects of Kolop peloid on the clinical parameters and quality of life of patients with knee osteoarthritis in day hospital care. Material and Method We studied 60 patients randomized into two groups. Both groups received standardized combined physiotherapy and balneotherapy for the painful knee joint for three weeks, five days a week, including the following treatments : pool bath in 31°C mineral water for 30 minutes ; aquatic exercise in 31°C mineral water pool bath for 20 minutes ; and magnetotherapy applied on the knee joint. In addition, the peloid-treated group received Kolop peloid packs on the painful knee joint for 30 minutes at each session ; the temperature of the pack was 42°C. The control group received standardized combined therapy on the knee joint without peloid packs. The disease-specific Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), the EuroQol-5D quality of life questionnaire, the need for analgesics and NSAIDs, and the grade of periarticular tenderness were recorded before treatment, right after treatment (at Week 3), and 3 months after treatment (at Week 15). Results In patients treated with Kolop peloid, the clinical parameters (WOMAC pain, joint stiffness and function) improved more significantly from baseline to the end of treatment and to the end of the follow-up period than in the control group. Quality of life improved more in the Kolop peloid-treated group, and significant difference was seen between the two groups at the end of