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R
E S E A R C H
Spa Therapy Benefits
Parkinson's Patients
Spa therapy for Parkinson’s
disease (PD) patients is more cost-effective than conventional treatment
alone, and results in improved quality of life, according to a recent
study.
"Clinical and Economic Analysis
of Spa Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease" was conducted
by Christine Brefel-Courbon, M.D.; Karine Desboeuf, M.D.; Claire
Thalamas, M.D.; Monique Galitzky, M.D.; Jean-Michel Senard, M.D.,
Ph.D.; Olivier Rascol, M.D., Ph.D.; and Jean-Louis Montastruc, M.D.,
Ph.D., at the University Hospital in Toulouse, France.
Thirty-one Parkinson’s patients
were divided into two groups: immediate spa-therapy group and delayed
spa-therapy group. Those in the immediate spa-therapy group had
three weeks of spa therapy and 17 weeks of routine drug therapy
(spa period), followed by 20 weeks of routine drug therapy alone
(non-spa period) Subjects in the delayed spa-therapy group had the
reverse, with 20 weeks of routine drug therapy preceding the spa
period.
Spa therapy was provided at the spa
resort of Ussat Les Bains. It included thermal baths, drinking mineral
water, showers, underwater massage every morning six days a week,
physiotherapy three afternoons a week, and speech and relaxation
therapy two afternoons a week.
Effectiveness was assessed with quality-of-life
scales, motor-function scale and a psychological questionnaire, at
baseline, four weeks and 20 weeks.
At four weeks, according to the Parkinson’s
Disease Quality of Life Scale, stigma and communication were significantly
improved in the spa period, and all other dimensions, except social
support, tended to be improved as well.
"Spa therapy significantly improved
two dimensions (stigma and communication) that have been shown to
be of considerable concern to progression of disease in PD patients,"
state the study’s authors.
According to the Medical Outcomes Short
Form, another assessment of quality of life, physical and mental
health were also significantly improved at four weeks in the spa
period.
At 20 weeks, there were no significant
differences between the spa and non-spa period according to either
quality-of-life survey.
Motor-function,
as assessed by a doctor with no knowledge of the study, showed only
slightly decreased complications. The General Health Questionnaire,
a psychological evaluation, indicated that thermal treatment significantly
reduces psychological distress in PD patients.
"Concerning
efficacy, our study showed that spa therapy improved some aspects
of PD patients’ quality of life and their perception of psychological
well being," state the study’s authors.
As for the
economic analysis, direct medical costs, such as hospitalization,
outpatient fees, drug therapy, ancillary care and spa therapy, were
recorded throughout each 20-month period by an investigator.
"Our
results indicated that spa therapy decreases health related expenditure
in PD," state the study’s authors. "The cost of
spa therapy was counteracted by a reduction in other medical costs,
particularly ancillary care, being 1.6 times less expensive."
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Source: University
Hospital, Toulouse, France. Authors: Christine Brefel-Courbon, M.D.;
Karine Desboeuf, M.D.; Claire Thalamas, M.D.; Monique Galitzky,
M.D.; Jean-Michel Senard, M.D., Ph.D.; Olivier Rascol, M.D., Ph.D.;
and Jean-Louis Montastruc, M.D., Ph.D. Originally published in Movement
Disorders, Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 578-584.
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