Efficacy of Spa Therapy, Mud-Pack Therapy, Balneotherapy, and Mud-Bath Therapy in the Management of Knee Osteoarthritis. A Systematic Review

Table 5

Results of SPA therapy according to measures employed in the studies evaluated.

Measure scales applied	Number of patients (1)	Mean values		b1- b2	Reduction % (2)
		b1 before treatment	b2 after treatment
VAS	297	54.71	29.36	- 25.35	- 46.34
Lequesne’s Index	140	56.61	37.49	- 19.12	- 33.78
WOMAC – TPS (3)	170	21.49	13.74	- 7.75	- 36.06
WOMAC – TSS (4)	126	27.78	16.98	- 10.80	- 38.87
WOMAC – TPFS (5)	387	40.26	26.71	- 13.55	- 33.65

(1) Number of patients included in the experimental groups participating in the studies using a specific measure scale, excluding the studies in which data are expressed differently from practice (for instance, with percentage but without absolute values, only with a graphic representation, etc.).
(2) Calculated according to the following procedure: values at the treatment end if the starting values are = 100 (referring to VAS) 29,36:54,71 = x:100; x = 53,66 = value observed at the end of treatment if starting value is 100; 100-53,66 = 46,34 = percentage reduction of VAS value at the treatment end.
(3) TPS =Total Pain Score.
(4) TSS =Total Stiffness Score.
(5) TPFS =Total Physical Function Score.