Table 1: Baseline characteristics of the study population.
Characteristics | Balneotherapy group | Control group | Total |
Female (%) | 20 (90.9) | 18 (81.8) | 38 (86.4) |
Age, mean (SD), years | 57.4 (11.6) | 59.4 (8.3) | 58.4 (10.0) |
Employment status, No. (%) | |||
Employed | 7 (31.8) | 6 (27.3) | 13 (29.5) |
Sick leave | 1 (4.5) | 1 (4.5) | 2 (4.5) |
Disabled | 5 (22.7) | 6 (27.3) | 11 (25.0) |
Retired | 8 (36.4) | 9 (40.9) | 17 (38.6) |
Duration of Disease, mean (SD), years | 17.6 (10.5) | 14.9 (10.8) | 16.3 (10.6) |
Functional Status, No. (%) | |||
I | 2 (9.1) | 3 (13.6) | 5 (11.4) |
II | 14 (63.6) | 14 (63.6) | 28 (63.6) |
III | 6 (27.3) | 5 (22.7) | 11 (25.0) |
HAQ-DI, mean (SD) | 1.50 (0.59) | 1.34 (0.83) | 1.42 (0.72) |
DAS28, mean (SD) | 4.92 (1.55) | 4.54 (1.53) | 4.73 (1.53) |
Ultrasonography, mean (SD) | |||
Synovitis (left) | 1.00 (0.76) | 0.45 (0.60) | 0.75 (0.75) |
Synovitis (right) | 0.68 (0.78) | 0.95 (0.72) | 0.84 (0.78) |
Hypervascularization (left) | 0.59 (0.85) | 0.23 (0.69) | 0.43 (0.87) |
Hypervascularization (right) | 0.36 (0.79) | 0.45 (0.80) | 0.41 (0.79) |