Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28303358›Full record

SynthesisClinical rheumatology2017

The effect of balneotherapy on pain relief, stiffness, and physical function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: a meta-analysis.

Hiromi Matsumoto, Hiroshi Hagino, Kunihiko Hayashi, Yuki Ideno, Takashi Wada, Toru Ogata, Masami Akai, Atsushi Seichi, Tsutomu Iwaya

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical rheumatology, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
7.9field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Clinical efficacy of medical hydrology: an umbrella review.International journal of biometeorology · 2021
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.

Hiromi MatsumotoRehabilitation Division, Tottori University Hospital, 36-1 Nishicho, Yonago City, Tottori, 683-8504, Japan. h.matsumoto@med.tottori-u.ac.jp.
Hiroshi HaginoRehabilitation Division, Tottori University Hospital, 36-1 Nishicho, Yonago City, Tottori, 683-8504, Japan.
Kunihiko HayashiFaculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Gunma University, 3-39-15 Showa-machi, Maebashi City, Gunma, 371-8514, Japan.
Yuki IdenoGunma University Initiative for Advanced Research, 3-39-15 Showa-machi, Maebashi City, Gunma, 371-8514, Japan.
Takashi WadaRehabilitation Division, Tottori University Hospital, 36-1 Nishicho, Yonago City, Tottori, 683-8504, Japan.
Toru OgataCenter for Sport Science and Health Promotion, Department of Rehabilitation for the Movement Functions, National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, 4-1 Namiki, Tokorozawa City, Saitama, 359-0042, Japan.
Masami AkaiGraduate School International University of Health and Welfare, 4F, Aoyama 1-Chome Tower, 1-3-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minatoku, Tokyo, 107-0062, Japan.
Atsushi SeichiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mitsui Memorial Hospital, 1 Izumicho-kanda, Chiyodaku, Tokyo, 101-8643, Japan.
Tsutomu IwayaNagano University of Health & Medicine, 11-1 Imaibara, Nakashimacho, Nagano City, Nagano, 381-2227, Japan.
Gunma University · JPTottori University Hospital · JPInternational University of Health and Welfare · JPMitsui Memorial Hospital · JPNagano University of Health and Medicine · JPNational Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities · JPTottori University · JP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This meta-analysis was performed to determine the effect of balneotherapy on relieving pain and stiffness and improving physical function, compared to controls, among patients with knee osteoarthritis. We searched electronic databases for eligible studies published from 2004 to December 31, 2016, with language restrictions of English or Japanese. We screened publications in Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, and the Japan Medical Abstracts Society Database using two approaches, MeSH terms and free words. Studies that examined the effect of balneotherapy for treating knee osteoarthritis of a ≥2-week duration were included. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores were used as the outcome measure. A total of 102 publications were assessed according to the exclusion criteria of the study; eight clinical trial studies, which comprised a total of 359 cases and 375 controls, were included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis analyzed improvement in WOMAC score at the final follow-up visit, which varied from 2 to 12 months post-intervention. Our meta-analysis indicates that balneotherapy was clinically effective in relieving pain and stiffness, and improving function, as assessed by WOMAC score, compared to controls. However, there was high heterogeneity (88 to 93%). It is possible that balneotherapy may reduce pain and stiffness, and improve function, in individuals with knee osteoarthritis, although the quality of current publications contributes to the heterogeneity observed in this meta-analysis.

Indexed as

BalneologyHumansKnee JointOsteoarthritis, KneePain ManagementRange of Motion, ArticularTreatment OutcomeBalneotherapyMeta-analysisOsteoarthritis of the knee

Identifiers

PMID28303358
OpenAlexW2596704481

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.