Trial reportAnnals of the rheumatic diseases2010
Spa therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a large randomised multicentre trial.
Trial report in Annals of the rheumatic diseases, 2010. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 12 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 78 papers, 12 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Spa Therapy in Knee Osteoarthritis: Study on Cost/Effectiveness - Cost/Utility and Possible Mechanisms of Action
Effectiveness of a Short, Intensive and Standardised Spa Therapy for Subacute and Chronic Low Back Pain on Return to Work for Patients in Sick Leave From 4 to 24 Weeks Duration : a Randomized Controlled Trial Using a Modified Zelen Method
Spa Therapy in the Treatment of Chronic Shoulder Pain Due to Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy: ROTATHERM, a Large Randomized Multicentre Trial
Evaluation of Spa Therapy in the Treatment of Fibromyalgia : a Randomized, Controlled, Open Multicenter Study
Impact of 3-week SPA Therapy on Sleep Apnea in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome and Chronic Venous Insufficiency: A Randomized, Controlled Study
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a SPA Therapy to "Neyrac-les-Bains" to the Old Subject (60-80 Years Old) With a Chronic Low Back Pain.
Evolution of Clinical State of Patients With Rheumatic Disease on Lower Limbs or Rachis, 6 Months After Spa Treatment
Clinical Evolution of Patients Suffering From Lower Limb Rheumatological Conditions 6 Months After Spa Treatment
Evaluation of the Added Value of an Educational Program Associated With a Conventional Spa Therapy of Knee Osteoarthritis Patients
Evaluation of the Benefit at 6 Months of a 3 Weeks Spa Treatment in the Type 2 Diabetic Patient. Multicenter Randomized Therapeutic Trial
Follow-up of Osteo-articular Biomarkers After Spa Therapy at Dax in a Population With Knee Osteoarthritis and Their Correlation With the Clinical Evolution
Benefits of Spa Therapy in Saint-Lary Soulan for Knee Osteoarthritis
Who cites it
78 citing papers in PubMed, 12 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Efficacy and safety of balneotherapy in rheumatology: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ open · 2025Pooled it
- Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Adjunctive therapies in addition to land-based exercise therapy for osteoarthritis of the hip or knee.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Effects of balneotherapy and spa therapy on quality of life of patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Rheumatology international · 2018Pooled it
- Efficacy of Spa Therapy, Mud-Pack Therapy, Balneotherapy, and Mud-Bath Therapy in the Management of Knee Osteoarthritis. A Systematic Review.BioMed research international · 2018Pooled it
- The effect of balneotherapy on pain relief, stiffness, and physical function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: a meta-analysis.Clinical rheumatology · 2017Pooled it
- Clinical Efficacy of Mudpack Therapy in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation · 2016Pooled it
- Effectiveness of aquatic exercise for treatment of knee osteoarthritis: Systematic review and meta-analysis.Zeitschrift fur Rheumatologie · 2015Pooled it
- Exercise for osteoarthritis of the knee.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015Pooled it
- Evidence-based hydro- and balneotherapy in Hungary--a systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of biometeorology · 2014Pooled it
- Medical mud-pack treatment with different temperatures in patients with knee osteoarthritis.International journal of biometeorology · 2025Trial
- The effectiveness of a 3-week spa therapy on the 6-month mobility and functional ability of patients with knee osteoarthritis: the ANGELLO randomized controlled trial.International journal of biometeorology · 2025Trial
- Comparison of outpatient and inpatient spa therapy in knee osteoarthritis.International journal of biometeorology · 2021Trial
- Spa therapy with physical rehabilitation is an alternative to usual spa therapy protocol in symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.Scientific reports · 2020Trial
- Balneotherapy for knee osteoarthritis in S. Jorge: a randomized controlled trial.International journal of biometeorology · 2020Trial
- [Effects of serial mud baths on inflammatory rheumatic and degenerative diseases].Zeitschrift fur Rheumatologie · 2019Trial
- Efficacy of self-management exercise program with spa therapy for behavioral management of knee osteoarthritis: research protocol for a quasi-randomized controlled trial (GEET one).BMC complementary and alternative medicine · 2018Trial
- The role of thermal balneotherapy in the treatment of obese patient with knee osteoarthritis.International journal of biometeorology · 2018Trial
18 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo determine whether spa therapy, plus home exercises and usual medical treatment provides any benefit over exercises and usual treatment, in the management of knee osteoarthritis.
methodsLarge multicentre randomised prospective clinical trial of patients with knee osteoarthritis according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria, attending French spa resorts as outpatients between June 2006 and April 2007. Zelen randomisation was used so patients were ignorant of the other group and spa personnel were not told which patients were participating. The main endpoint criteria were patient self-assessed. All patients continued usual treatments and performed daily standardised home exercises. The spa therapy group also received 18 days of spa therapy (massages, showers, mud and pool sessions). MAIN ENDPOINT: The number of patients achieving minimal clinically important improvement (MCII) at 6 months, defined as > or =19.9 mm on the visual analogue pain scale and/or > or =9.1 points in a normalised Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index function score and no knee surgery.
resultsThe intention to treat analysis included 187 controls and 195 spa therapy patients. At 6 months, 99/195 (50.8%) spa group patients had MCII and 68/187 (36.4%) controls (chi(2)=8.05; df=1; p=0.005). However, no improvement in quality of life (Short Form 36) or patient acceptable symptom state was observed at 6 months.
conclusionFor patients with knee osteoarthritis a 3-week course of spa therapy together with home exercises and usual pharmacological treatments offers benefit after 6 months compared with exercises and usual treatment alone, and is well tolerated.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.