Effectiveness of Enghien-les-Bains Thermal Spa Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis in Adults Aged 50 to 80 Years

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of the Enghien-les-Bains thermal spa treatment in patients aged 50 to 80 years with knee osteoarthritis. The study aims to determine if this spa treatment leads to meaningful improvements in pain and functional disability at 6 months compared to standard care, using an indirect comparison with an external control group from another randomized trial. Patients have knee osteoarthritis confirmed by X-ray and a baseline level of functional impairment. Participants receive an 18-day spa program involving daily thermal water treatments such as whirlpool baths, mud poultices, jet showers, and underwater massages. These treatments are administered six days a week for three weeks. Alongside the spa treatment, participants continue their usual medical care for knee osteoarthritis, including medications and physiotherapy. The study also includes a qualitative component where participants share their personal experience and perceived benefits of the spa treatment through interviews. During the study, patients attend three medical visits before starting the spa treatment, at the end of the treatment, and six months after starting. They complete questionnaires and clinical assessments about pain, function, and quality of life at these timepoints and also at three months. Researchers monitor treatment adherence, any adverse events, and changes in symptoms over time. The main outcome measured is the Minimal Clinically Important Improvement MCII in pain and function at 6 months, alongside other measures like stiffness, quality of life, and safety of the spa treatment.

Knee Osteoarthritis and Thermal Spa Treatment