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Aim: Osteoporotic vertebral fractures and increased kyphotic angle may cause disturbances in pulmonary functions. Our aim was to evaluate pulmonary function and quality of life in osteoporotic patients. Material and Methods: Fifty-one patients with osteoporosis and 19 osteopenic subject, followed in our outpatient clinic, were included. Their demographics were recorded. All the subjects were submitted to pulmonary function test (PFT) and dorsal lateral radiography was obtained to measure Cobb angle. Global body pain was assessed using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and quality of life was assessed using Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Results: The mean ages were 63.3±8.7 in osteoporosis and 55.3±7.3 in osteopenia groups (p=0.001). Body mass index of the osteoporosis group was significantly lower than osteopenia group (28.8±5.7 and 32.2±5.5, respectively, p=0.029). In osteoporosis group compared to osteopenia group, the absolute forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) (1.8±0.4 and 2.1±0.5, respectively, p=0.018) and absolute forced vital capacity (FVC) (2.2±0.5 and 2.6±0.6, respectively, p=0.005) were significantly lower. No differences were found between two groups concerning other PFT parameters. The mean Cobb angle was higher in osteoporosis group than osteopenia group, but the difference was not significant (32.7±12.4 and 28.5±9.5, respectively, p=0.194). When all the subjects were considered, no correlation was found between Cobb angle and PFT parameters (p>0.05). No significant difference was found between two groups in respect to VAS and SF-36 scores (p>0.05). Conclusion: We found absolute FEV1 and absolute FVC significantly lower in osteoporosis group compared to osteopenia group. But we observed no differences in % predicted FEV1 and % predicted FVC. We supposed that the differences were because the subjects in osteopenia group were younger and fatter. The pulmonary functions and quality of life of the osteoporotic patients with a kyphotic angle up to studied are not worse than the osteopenic people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic destructive inflammatory disorder. This study is aimed to investigate the effects of balneotherapy and aquatherapy in the treatment of RA patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 59 patients who fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria for RA were included this study. Patients were randomly assigned into three groups. Group 1 (n=20) received balneotherapy, group 2 (n=20) received an aquatic exercise program and group 3 (n=19) was accepted as control group. These programs were applied five times a week, over three weeks (15 sessions). Patients were evaluated for clinical and laboratory parameters. Clinical parameters included pain,duration of morning stiffness, number of swollen and tender joints, disease activity score (DAS28), Modified health assessment questionnaire (mHAQ), physician's and patient's global assessment and hand grip strength. Laboratory evaluation included erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The assessment parameters were measured before, at the end of and after 3 months of the therapy. Results: The mean age of the patients was 54±10.7 (25-75) years and the mean disease duration was 122.3±98.1 (1-424) months. In aquatic exercise group we observed an improvement in DAS28 scores (p<0.001), in the number of tender joints (p<0.005), in VAS scores (p<0.005), mHAQ (p<0.05), physician's and patient's global assessments (p<0.05). Also there was a statistically significant decrease in ESR results in aquatherapy group compared to other groups (p<0.05). However no statistically significant difference was obtained between three groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study shows that aquatic exercise program is beneficial in the management of DAS28, pain, HAQ parameters and should be taken in to consideration in planning exercise therapy for RA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic destructive inflammatory disorder. This study is aimed to investigate the effects of balneotherapy and aquatherapy in the treatment of RA patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 59 patients who fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria for RA were included this study. Patients were randomly assigned into three groups. Group 1 (n=20) received balneotherapy, group 2 (n=20) received an aquatic exercise program and group 3 (n=19) was accepted as control group. These programs were applied five times a week, over three weeks (15 sessions). Patients were evaluated for clinical and laboratory parameters. Clinical parameters included pain,duration of morning stiffness, number of swollen and tender joints, disease activity score (DAS28), Modified health assessment questionnaire (mHAQ), physician's and patient's global assessment and hand grip strength. Laboratory evaluation included erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The assessment parameters were measured before, at the end of and after 3 months of the therapy. Results: The mean age of the patients was 54±10.7 (25-75) years and the mean disease duration was 122.3±98.1 (1-424) months. In aquatic exercise group we observed an improvement in DAS28 scores (p<0.001), in the number of tender joints (p<0.005), in VAS scores (p<0.005), mHAQ (p<0.05), physician's and patient's global assessments (p<0.05). Also there was a statistically significant decrease in ESR results in aquatherapy group compared to other groups (p<0.05). However no statistically significant difference was obtained between three groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study shows that aquatic exercise program is beneficial in the management of DAS28, pain, HAQ parameters and should be taken in to consideration in planning exercise therapy for RA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]