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More evidence needed on benefits of BT, HT in fibromyalgia management
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Results of a literature review on management of fibromyalgia showed more high-quality studies with larger sample sizes and a focus on long-term results and maintenance of the beneficial effects are needed to confirm the therapeutic benefit of balneotherapy and hydrotherapy.
Through April 2013, researchers performed a systematic literature search of Medline via Pubmed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE and CAMBASE for randomized, controlled trials that highlighted a broad range of balneotherapeutic (BT) and hydrotherapeutic (HT) treatments, and calculated standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals using a random-effects model.
With regard to HT, moderate-to-strong evidence was found in a meta-analysis for a small reduction in pain. At the end of treatment, the researchers also found moderate-to-strong evidence for a small improvement in health-related quality of life in HT. However, no effect was seen for depressive symptoms and tender point count.
Study results showed moderate evidence for a medium-to-large size reduction in pain and tender point count at the end of treatment with BT in mineral/thermal water. According to a sensitive analysis, the effect size for pain decreased, and the researchers found moderate evidence for a medium improvement of health-related quality of life.
Similar to HT, a significant effect on depressive symptoms was not found for BT. The improvements for pain could be maintained at follow-up with smaller effects, according to the researchers.
Disclosure: Naumann receives support from and is a member of Deutscher Heilbäderverband and Heilbäderverband Baden-Württemberg.
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