Effectiveness of Vascular Balneotherapy in the Treatment of Chronic Venous Disease (CVD)

Abstract

Aim: Inside the “Antica Querciolaia” Thermal Station, located in the municipality of Rapolano Terme (Siena), there is a well, called “Well 5 – Cold Bath”, from which gushes a homeothermic alkaline bicarbonate-sulphate mineral water, considered suitable for thermal use with venous vascular address. The main endpoint of the study was to demonstrate the effects of vascular balneotherapy with thermal mineral water on classical symptoms, such as edema and quality of life of patients with chronic venous disease in the lower limbs, while the secondary endpoint was to verify the efficacy and tolerability of vascular balneotherapy carried out in predefined vascular paths and with a standardized protocol. Materials and Methods: In the double-blind, randomized controlled study, 60 patients with chronic venous disease of the lower limbs were enrolled in the first three stages of the CEAP classification. The patients were divided into two equivalent groups: “Balneotherapy Group”, treated with baths in thermal mineral water from “Well 5 – Cold Bath” and venoactive drug therapy and “Control Group” which only took drug therapy in an equivalent dose and duration. Results: The results of the study show a clear improvement of the “Balneotherapy Group” compared to the “Control Group” in the treatment of chronic venous disease of the lower limbs, concerning both the primary and secondary endpoints set by the study. Conclusions: Our findings show the undoubted efficacy and excellent tolerability of vascular balneotherapy in the treatment of chronic venous disease of the lower limbs.