Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2003; 8: 128–9
To explore applicability and effectiveness of mild infrared whole-body hyperthermia (IR-WBH) in symptomatic hip or knee osteoarthritis.
Consecutive inpatients (mean age 65 years) of a rehabilitation hospital meeting the Altman criteria for knee or hip osteoarthritis were randomised either to IR-WBH (Device: Heckel bed, irradiation by three Halogen lamps, each 300 W, six times over 3 weeks) and standardised physiotherapy (ST) or ST alone. Eligibility, acceptance, adverse events, rectal temperature, functional status (Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index) and well-being (Adjective Mood Scale) were evaluated.
Thirty-eight of 103 (37%) patients did not meet the inclusion criteria due to comorbidity conditions (cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke), 21 of 65 (32%) refused heat exposure, 44 could be randomised. In four of 24 (17%) experimental persons, IR-WBH was discontinued because of adverse events (headache, dizziness, arrhythmia) after one or two treatments. Mean increase of rectal temperature was 0.6°C. In compliant persons, functional status was more improved in the IR-WBH group 3 months after the completion of the study (mean difference –8.6; 95% confidence interval –21.3 to 4.1). Females responded significantly better on hyperthermia than men. IR-WBH had no additional effect on well-being.
Comorbidity conditions, acceptance problems and a moderate incidence of adverse events limit the applicability of IR-WBH in osteoarthritis. For a well-selected population with clear preferences, IR-WBH could be a suitable option, either as an adjunct or as treatment of choice. This has to be confirmed in large-scale studies.
