Balneotherapy and Echocardiographic Findings in Osteoarthritis

Effects of Balneotherapy on Echocardiographic Parameters in Adults and Elderly Patients With Osteoarthritis

This prospective observational study aims to evaluate changes in heart function using echocardiography before and after a standardized balneotherapy program in adult and elderly patients with osteoarthritis.

Balneotherapy is commonly used by patients with osteoarthritis, especially in older age groups, who may also have known or unrecognized cardiovascular conditions. For this reason, heart function is evaluated using transthoracic echocardiography prior to the start of balneotherapy and again after completion of the treatment program.

The study focuses on changes in echocardiographic parameters related to left ventricular systolic and diastolic function. By comparing measurements obtained before and after balneotherapy, this study seeks to improve understanding of the potential effects of balneotherapy on cardiac function in patients with osteoarthritis.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Osteoarthritis
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: balneotherapy

Detailed Description

Balneotherapy is frequently preferred by adult and elderly patients with osteoarthritis as part of rehabilitation programs. This population may have a higher prevalence of overt or subclinical cardiovascular disease; therefore, cardiovascular evaluation before and after balneotherapy may be clinically relevant.

In this prospective observational study, patients with osteoarthritis who are scheduled to undergo a standardized balneotherapy program are evaluated using transthoracic echocardiography prior to treatment initiation and again after completion of the program. Echocardiographic examinations are performed to assess parameters related to left ventricular systolic and diastolic function, as well as aortic hemodynamics.

The balneotherapy program consists of head-out immersion in thermal pools with acratothermal water at a temperature of approximately 38 °C, applied for 20 minutes per session, 5 days per week, over a 15-day period. Echocardiographic measurements obtained before and after the intervention are compared to evaluate potential changes in cardiac function associated with balneotherapy.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 44

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Nilüfer
    • Bursa, Nilüfer, Turkey (Türkiye), 16300
      • Bursa Military Hospital, 1. Murat Caddesi Osmangazi

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of adult and elderly patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis who are scheduled to undergo a standardized balneotherapy program at a tertiary care rehabilitation hospital. Eligible participants undergo transthoracic echocardiographic evaluation before initiation of balneotherapy and again after completion of the treatment program in order to assess potential changes in cardiac function.

Description

Inclusion Criterias:

• Having balneotherapy sessions 5 days a week for total of three weeks
• Having detailed echocardiography records

Exclusion Criterias:

• Having history of major surgery,
• cerebrovascular accident,
• malignancy,
• liver or renal failure,
• immunodeficiency,
• acute/chronic infection,
• psychiatric disorders were exluded.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in mitral peak E wave velocity	Change in mitral peak early diastolic (E) wave velocity measured by transthoracic echocardiography.	Baseline (before balneotherapy) and immediately after completion of the 15-day balneotherapy program
Change in mitral E/A ratio	Change in the ratio of early (E) to late (A) diastolic transmitral flow velocities assessed by transthoracic echocardiography.	Baseline and immediately after completion of the 15-day balneotherapy program
Change in E/E' ratio	Change in the ratio of early transmitral flow velocity (E) to early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E') measured by tissue Doppler imaging.	Baseline and immediately after completion of the 15-day balneotherapy program

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in left ventricular ejection fraction	Change in left ventricular ejection fraction assessed by transthoracic echocardiography.	Baseline (before balneotherapy) and immediately after completion of the 15-day balneotherapy program
Change in mean aortic gradient	Change in mean transaortic pressure gradient measured by continuous-wave Doppler echocardiography.	Baseline (before balneotherapy) and immediately after completion of the 15-day balneotherapy program
Change in maximum aortic gradient	Change in maximum transaortic pressure gradient measured by continuous-wave Doppler echocardiography.	Baseline (before balneotherapy) and immediately after completion of the 15-day balneotherapy program

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Bursa City Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 1, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 23, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 5, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): April 11, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 6, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 4, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Echocardiography; Heart; Balneotherapy; Wellness
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases; Arthritis; Joint Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases; Osteoarthritis; Therapeutics; Balneology
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2026-PMR-6

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

Research data will be available upon request from author

(Taner Dandinoglu MD. e-mail: dandinoglu@gmail.com)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No