Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of balneological outpatient treatment (hydrotherapy and peloidotherapy) on clinical status and serum cytokine levels in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Seventy-four patients with CLBP who accepted to participate to the study were randomly divided into two groups. The study group was given ten sessions (in 2 weeks) of hydrotherapy, peloidotherapy, and home exercise, while the control group was given only home exercise. All patients were assessed before and at the end of therapy, at the 1st and 3rd months. The primary outcomes were pain intensity on the visual analog scale (VAS) (VAS-pain, VAS-rest, VAS-exercise) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The secondary outcome measures included patient’s and physician’s global assessment (VAS-PGA), (VAS-DGA), finger-to-floor distance (FFD), modified Schober test, Short Form-36 (SF-36), and the use of analgesic drug. Venous blood samples were drawn from all patients before/1st day and after therapy/12th day to measure serum interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 levels. Significant improvement was observed in the study group in VAS-pain, VAS-rest, VAS-exercise, VAS-PGA, VAS-DGA, ODI, and SF-36 parameters after treatment and improvement maintained for 3 months. In the control group, significant improvement was observed in VAS-pain, VAS-exercise, VAS-PGA, VAS-DGA, and ODI scores on the 12th day and continued for 3 months. Decrease in pain, pain during rest and exercise, modified Schober test, VAS-PGA, VAS-DGA, ODI scores, and the increase in SF-36 pain and general health scores showed superiority in favor of the study group in all evaluations. There was a significant increase in IL-10 values from baseline at the end of treatment in the study group. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) was significantly lower in the study group compared with the use of NSAID in the control group in the 3rd month. Balneological outpatient treatment improved clinical status in CLBP patients. Although no significant correlation was clearly determined between IL-10 levels and pain score, this effect might be related to the observed increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 levels that was observed only in the study group.


Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bağdatlı AO, Donmez A, Eröksüz R, Bahadır G, Turan M, Erdoğan N (2015) Does addition of ‘mud-pack and hot pool treatment’ to patient education make a difference in fibromyalgia patients? A randomized controlled single blind study. Int J Biometeorol 59:1905–1911. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-015-0997-7
Bai R, Li C, Xiao Y, Sharma M, Zhang F, Zhao Y (2019) Effectiveness of spa therapy for patients with chronic low back pain. Medicine 98(37):e17092. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000017092
Balogh Z, Ordögh J, Gász A, Német L, Bender T (2005) Effectiveness of balneotherapy in chronic low back pain-a randomized single-blind controlled follow-up study. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 12:196–201
Basili S, Martini F, Ferroni P, Grassi M, Sili Scavalli A, Streva P, Cusumano G, Musca A, Battista Rini G (2001) Effects of mud-pack treatment on plasma cytokine and soluble adhesion molecule levels in healthy volunteers. Clin Chim Acta 314(1-2):209–214
Bender T, Karagülle Z, Bálint GP, Gutenbrunner C, Bálint PV, Sukenik S (2005) Hydrotherapy, balneotherapy, and spa treatment in pain management. Rheumatol Int 25:220–224
Brisby H, Olmarker K, Larsson K, Nutu M, Rydevik B (2001) Proinflammatory cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid and serum in patients with disc herniation and sciatica. Eur Spine J 11:62–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s005860100306
Chou R, Huffman LH (2007) Nonpharmacologic therapies for acute and chronic low back pain: a review of the evidence for an American Pain Society/American College of Physicians clinical practice guideline. Ann Intern Med 147:492–504
Constant F, Collin JF, Guillemin F, Boulangé M (1995) Effectiveness of spa therapy in chronic low back pain: a randomized clinical trial. J Rheumatol 22:1315–1320
Costantino M, Conti V, Corbi G, Marongiu F, Marongiu MB, Flippelli A (2019) Sulphurous mud-bath therapy for treatment of chronic low back pain caused by lumbar spine osteoarthritis. Intern Emerg Med 14(1):187–190. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11739-018-1967
DeLeo JA, Colburn RW (1995) The role of cytokines in nociception and chronic pain. In: Weinstein JN, Gordon SL (eds) Low back pain: a scientific and clinical overview. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Illinois, pp 163–185
Dogan M, Sahin O, Elden H, Hayta E, Kaptanoglu E (2011) Additional therapeutic effect of balneotherapy in low back pain. South Med J 104:574–578
Erdogan N (2002) Termomineral Su Banyolarının Etki Mekanizması In: Karagulle MZ ed. Balneoloji ve Kaplıca Tıbbı, Nobel Kitapevi, Istanbul, pp 65–74
Eröksüz R, Erol Forestier FB, Karaaslan F, Forestier R, İşsever H, Erdoğan N, Karagülle MZ, Dönmez A (2020) Comparison of intermittent and consecutive balneological outpatient treatment (hydrotherapy and peloidotherapy) in fibromyalgia syndrome: a randomized, single-blind, pilot study. Int J Biometeorol 64:513–520. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-019-01838-3
Fioravanti A, Cantarini L, Guidelli GM, Galeazzi M (2011) Mechanisms of action of spa therapies in rheumatic diseases: what scientific evidence is there? Rheumatol Int 31(1):1–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-010-1628-6
Fioravanti A, Bacaro G, Giannitti C, Tenti S, Cheleschi S, Gui\delli GM, Pascarelli NA, Galeazzi M (2015) One-year follow-up of mud-bath therapy in patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, single-blind controlled trial. Int J Biometeorol 59:1333–1343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-014-0943-0
Fitzsimmons D, Phillips CJ, Bennett H, Jones M, Williams N, Lewis R, Sutton A, Matar HE, Din N, Burton K, Nafees S, Hendry M, Rickard I, Wilkinson C (2014) Cost-effectiveness of different strategies to manage patients with sciatica. Pain. 155:1318–1327
Foster NE, Anema JR, Cherkin D, Chou R, Cohen SP, Gross DP, Ferreira PH, Fritz JM, Koes BW, Peul W, Turner JA, Maher CG, Buchbinder R, Hartvigsen J, Cherkin D, Foster NE, Maher CG, Underwood M, van Tulder M, Anema JR, Chou R, Cohen SP, Menezes Costa L, Croft P, Ferreira M, Ferreira PH, Fritz JM, Genevay S, Gross DP, Hancock MJ, Hoy D, Karppinen J, Koes BW, Kongsted A, Louw Q, Öberg B, Peul WC, Pransky G, Schoene M, Sieper J, Smeets RJ, Turner JA, Woolf A (2018) Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions. Lancet. 391(10137):2368–2383. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30489-6
Gálvez I, Torres-Piles S, Ortega-Rincón E (2018) Balneotherapy, immune system, and stress response: a hormetic strategy? Int J Mol Sci 19(6):1687. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19061687
Gutenbrunner C, Bender T, Cantista P, Karagulle Z (2010) A proposal for a worldwide definition of health resort medicine, balneology, medical hydrology and climatology. Int J Biometeorol 54:495–507
Hartvigsen J, Hancock MJ, Kongsted A, Louw Q, Ferreira ML, Genevay S (2018) What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention. Lancet. 391(10137):2356–2367. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30480-X
Hirota H, Kiyama H, Kishimoto T, Taga T (1996) Accelerated nerve regeneration in mice by upregulated expression of interleukin (IL) 6 and IL-6 receptor after trauma. J Exp Med 183:2627–2634
Huber D, Grafetstatter C, Probegger J, Pichler C, Wöll E, Fischer M (2019) Green exercise and Mg-Ca-SO4 thermal balneotherapy for the treatment of nonspecific chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled clinical trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 17(20(1)):221. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-019-2582-4
Huskisson EC (1982) Measurement of pain. J Rheumatol 9(5):768–769
Karaarslan F, Ozkuk K, Seringec Karabulut S, Bekpinar S, Karagulle MZ, Erdogan N (2018) How does spa treatment affect cardiovascular function and vascular endothelium in patients with generalized osteoarthritis? A pilot study through plasma asymmetric di-methyl arginine (ADMA) and L-arginine/ADMA ratio. Int J Biometeorol 62:833–842. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-017-1484-0
Karagulle MZ (2002) Kaplıca Tıbbı ve Kaplıca Tedavisi In: Karagulle MZ ed. Balneoloji ve Kaplıca Tıbbı, Nobel Kitapevi, Istanbul, pp 15–36
Karagülle M, Karagülle Z (2015) Effectiveness of balneotherapy and spa therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: a review on latest evidence. Clin Rheumatol 34:207–214
Karagülle M, Kardeş S, Karagülle O, Dişçi R, Avcı A, Durak İ, Karagülle MZ (2017) Effect of spa therapy with saline balneotherapy on oxidant/antioxidant status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Int J Biometeorol 61:169–180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-016-1201-4
Kardeş S, Karagülle M, Geçmen İ, Adıgüzel T, Yücesoy H, Karagülle Z (2018) Outpatient balneological treatment of osteoarthritis in older persons: a retrospective study. Zeitschrift Gerontologie Geriatrie pp:1–8
Kearney PM, Baigent C, Godwin J, Halls H, Emberson JR, Patrono C (2006) Do selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors and traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increase the risk of atherothrombosis? Meta-analysis of randomised trials. BMJ 332:1302–1308
Kesiktas N, Karakas S, Gun K, Gun N (2012) Balneotherapy for chronic low back pain: a randomized, controlled study. Rheumatol Int 32:3193–3199
Koçyiğit H, Aydemir Ö, Fişek G (1999) Kısa Form-36'nın Türkçe versiyonunun güvenilirliği ve geçerliliği. İlaç ve Tedavi Dergisi 12:102–106
Koes B, Van Tulder MW, Thomas S (2006) Diagnosis and treatment of low back pain. BMJ 332:1430–1434
Kulisch A, Bender T, Németh A, Szekeres L (2009) Effect of thermal water and adjunctive electrotherapy on chronic low back pain: a double-blind, randomized, follow-up study. J Rehabil Med 41:73–79
Last A, Hulbert K (2009) Chronic low back pain: evaluation and management. Am Fam Pyhsician 79:1067–1074
Li Y, Liu J, Liu ZZ, Duan D (2016) Inflammation in low back pain may be detected from the peripheral blood: suggestions for biomarker. Biosci Rep 36:e00361
Matsumoto T, Nishiyama T, Nishimura N, Kato M, Inukai Y, Sugenoya et al (2001) Endocrine responses to heat and cold stress. In: Kosaka M, Sugahara T, Schmidt KL, Simon E (eds) Thermotherapy for neoplasia, inflammation, and pain. Springer, Tokyo, Japan, pp 228–241
Ofman JJ, MacLean CH, Straus WL et al (2002) A metaanalysis of severe upper gastrointestinal complications of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. J Rheumatol 29:804–812
Onat ŞŞ, Taşoğlu Ö, Güneri FD, Özişler Z, Safer VB, Özgirgin N (2014) The effectiveness of balneotherapy in chronic low back pain. Clin Rheumatol 33:1509–1513
Ortega E, Gálvez I, Hinchado MD, Guerrero J, Martín-Cordero L, Torres-Piles S (2017) Anti-inflammatory effect as a mechanism of effectiveness underlying the clinical benefits of pelotherapy in osteoarthritis patients: regulation of the altered inflammatory and stress feedback response. Int J Biometeorol 61:1777–1785
Özkuk K, Dilekçi E (2019) The effects of balneotherapy in elderly patients with chronic low back pain treated with physical therapy: a pilot study. J Istanbul Fac Med 82(4):186–192
Özkuk K, Gürdal H, Karagulle M (2017) Balneological outpatient treatment for patients with knee osteoartritis: an effective non drug therapy option in daily routine? Int J Biometeorol 61:719–728
Pittler M, Karagulle Z, Karagulle M, Ernst E (2006) Spa therapy and balneotherapy for treating low back pain: meta-analysis of randomized trials. Rheumatology 45:880–884
Roy RA, Boucher JP, Comtois AS (2010) Inflammatory response following a short-term course of chiropractic treatment in subjects with and without chronic low back pain. J Chiropr Med 9:107–114
Sainoh T, Inage K, Orita S, Koda M, Furuya T, Yamauchi K (2017) Correlation among inflammatory cytokine expression levels, degree of disk degeneration, and predominant clinical symptoms in patients with degenerated intervertebral discs. Asian Spine J 11(3):472–477
Shamji MF, Setton LA, Jarvis W, So S, Chen J, Jing L, Bullock R, Isaacs RE, Brown C, Richardson WJ (2010) Proinflammatory cytokine expression profile in degenerated and herniated human intervertebral disc tissues. Arthritis Rheum 62:1974–1982
Takinacı ZD, Karagülle M, İşsever H, Karagulle MZ (2019) Clinical efficacy of spa therapy (balneotherapy) for chronic low back pain: a randomized single-blind trial. Eur J Integr Med 29:100928. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2019.100928
Tarner IH, Muller-Ladner U, Uhlemann C, Lange U (2009) The effect of mild whole-body hyperthermia on systemic levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Clin Rheumatol 28:397–402
Tefner IK, Németh A, Lászlófi A, Kis T, Gyetvai G, Bender T (2012) The effect of spa therapy in chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled, single-blind, follow-up study. Rheumatol Int 32:3163–3169
Uceyler N, Valenza R, Stock M et al (2006) Reduced levels of antiinflammatory cytokines in patients with chronic widespread pain. Arthritis Rheum 54:2656–2664
Van Den Berg R, Jongbloed EM, De Schepper EIT et al (2018) The association between pro-inflammatory biomarkers and nonspecific low back pain: a systematic review. Spine J 18:2140–2151
Van Middelkoop M, Rubinstein SM, Verhagen AP et al (2010) Exercise therapy for chronic nonspecific low-back pain. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol 24:193–204
Verhagen AP, Bierma-Zeinstra SM, Boers M et al (2007) Balneotherapy for osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 17:CD006864
Wang K, Bao JP, Yang S, Hong X, Liu L, Xie XH (2016) A cohort study comparing the serum levels of pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines in patients with lumbar radicular pain and healthy subjects. Eur Spine J 25:1428–1434. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-015-4349-4
Yakut E, Duger T, Oksuz C, Yorukan S, Ureten K, Turan D et al (2004) Validation of the Turkish version of the Oswestry Disability Index for patients with low back pain. Spine. 29:581–585
Yates M, Shastri-Hurst N (2017) The Oswestry Disability Index. Occup Med 67:241–242. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqw051
Yücesoy H, Geçmen İ, Adıgüzel T, Karagülle M, Karagülle MZ (2019) Efficacy of balneological outpatient treatment (hydrotherapy and peloidotherapy) for the management of chronic low back pain: a retrospective study. Int J Biometeorol 63(3):351–357. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-018-01668-9
Zhang JM, An J (2007) Cytokines, inflammation, and pain. Int Anesthesiol Clin 1(45(2)):27–37
Funding
Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Istanbul University (BAP), Project number: TTU-2018-31745.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethical approval
This study was approved by Istanbul Faculty of Medicine Clinical Research Ethics Committee and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Turkey. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Informed consent
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yücesoy, H., Dönmez, A., Atmaca-Aydın, E. et al. Effects of balneological outpatient treatment on clinical parameters and serum cytokine levels in patients with chronic low back pain: a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Int J Biometeorol 65, 1367–1376 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-021-02109-w
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-021-02109-w