TREATMENT OF VARICOSE VEINS: EXPERIMENTAL — CLINICAL STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF HIDROMASSAGE WITH SALSOBROMOIODINE WATER AND COMPARISON WITH MEDICAL THERAPY

Ippolito E.*, Solimene U.**, Sommaruga S.*, Arpaia G.***, Salvo L.Di**

*Vascular Surgery and Angiology Department — Fondation Policlinic, Mangiagalli and Regina Elena IRCCS-University of Milan, **Department of Medical Therapy and Thermal Medicine, ***Hospital of Desio-Vimercate, Italy

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study has been to evaluate the efficacy of the thermal therapy, in particular of the hydromassage therapy with salsobromoidic water in patients who suffer of varicose veins.

The frequency of these patients has a range between the 15-30% in the people of the East countries.

METHODS

To complete this study we have selected 40 patients subdivided in:

a) casistic group ( study’s group)

b) control group.

All of them had the problem of varicous veins of the 2-3-4 class of the CEAP classification.

In the anamnesis we have considered the following symptomatologic indicators: pain, perception of heaviness, paresthesias, nocturnal cramps, restless leg syndrome and pruritus.

These symptoms were evaluated both for intensity and frequency: we have used the following parameters to calculate two parameters. Intensity from 0 (lack of symptomotologic) to 4 (maximal symptomotologic).Frequency in the course of the day: 0 (never present), 1 (sometimes), 2 (frequently), 3 (always).

The scores obtained for each symptom has been summed to obtain the total relative scores.

In the ambit of the examination we have considered the centimetrices measurements of the leg diameters supramalleolar, mid calf and mid thigh.

The patients of the casistic group have been for 12 days daily submitted to a thermal treatment.

This treatment was composed of a hydro massage in a single basin with salsobromodic water at a 33° temperature for 20 minutes, while the patients of the control group have been submitted to a medical therapy using flebrotic drugs (600-1000 mg daily).

At the end of the treatment we have noticed in the groups the sintomatologic and clinical variations of the inferior limbs, but also the morphological and velocimeter parameters related to the function of the peripheral vascular system.

RESULTS

Concerning intensity and frequency of the sintomatologic we have noticed that in both the groups we have obtained a positive result after the therapy (hydro massage or elastic stockings) but with a significative value (P<0,05) only in the casistic group.

The examination with the centimetrices measurements has underlined positive results in the reduction of the edema only in the casistic group, with reduction of the trophic lesions in the suffering cases (statis dermatis).

CONCLUSION

The hydro massage therapy represents a methodical thermal treatment with positive efficacy of the treatment of the varicous disease not only for the positive action of the hydrostatic pressure upon venous flow of the inferior limbs, but also thanks to the peculiar chemical and physical characteristic of the thermal water utilised in this study.

Its elevated osmotic power is responsible for the significant intrinsic antioedematous properties.

The comparison between the thermal therapy and the pharmacologic treatment has underlined that the last one has a positive result but with lowers results of the thermal therapy.