Background Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with pain, reduced grip strength, loss of range of motion (ROM), and joint stiffness, leading to impaired hand function and difficulty in performance of daily living activities. Various randomized controlled clinical trials were conducted to assess the efficacy and tolerability of mud-pack therapy in patients with knee OA. Data from these clinical trials support the beneficial effect of mud-pack therapy on pain, function, and quality of life in knee OA. However, to the best of our knowledge, in spite of its significant impact of on the activities of daily life, there is a lack of adequate randomized controlled studies on peloid therapy in management of osteoarthritis of the hand

Objectives To investigate the effects of peloid therapy in the patients with hand OA on pain, functional state, grip strength, and the quality of life

Methods 63 patients aged between 35 and 75 years, who had been diagnosed with hand OA were included in the study. Patients were randomized into 2 groups with a random number table. Patients in Group 1 (n=33) underwent peloid therapy over 2 weeks, 5 sessions a week, for a total of 10 sessions and home exercise program. Patients in Group 2 (control, n=30) received only the same home exercise program as in Group 1. Patients were evaluated just before, and 2 and 6 weeks after the start of the study with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index (AUSCAN) Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), Hand Grip Strength (HGS), Pinch strength (PS).

Results Statistically significant improvements were observed in all parameters assessed at week 2 and week 6 in the Group 1 (p<0.05). Statistically significant differences were observed in HGS scores in the Group 2 at week 2, and in AUSCAN scores at week 6 (p<0.05). Intergroup comparisons of the scores revealed significant differences between the peloid therapy group and control group in VAS, HAQ, AUSCAN, HGS and PS scores at week 2 and week 6 (p<0,05).

Conclusions This study demonstrates that peloid therapy is an effective and confident treatment modality in the management of symptomatic osteoarthritis of the hand and provides effective pain control and improvements in the hand functions, quality of life and grip strength

References

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2. Bellometti S, Cecchettin M, Galzigna L (1997) Mud-pack therapy in osteoarthrosis. Changes in serum levels of chondrocyte markers. Clin Chim Acta 268:101–106.

3. Odabaşı E, Turan M, Erdem H, Pay S, Güleç M, Karagülle MZ. The Effect of Mud Pack Treatment in Knee Osteoarthritis. Turk J Rheumatol 2009; 24: 72–6.

References

Disclosure of Interest None declared