%0 Journal Article %A KINGA FRITSCH %A GYORGY NAGY %A ZOLTAN SZEKANECZ %A GABRIELLA SZŰCS %A LASZLO KOVACS %A TAMAS BENDER %T Balneotherapy, a Complementary Non-pharmacological Approach for Non-Inflammatory Complaints in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Pilot Study %D 2022 %R 10.21873/invivo.13046 %J In Vivo %P 3010-3017 %V 36 %N 6 %X Background/Aim: Despite remission or low disease activity non-inflammatory complaints like exhaustion, fatigue, and pain persist in a significant proportion of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and have a considerable impact on health-related quality of life. This study evaluated the effects of balneotherapy on non-inflammatory complaints, quality of life, and work productivity of patients with SLE. Patients and Methods: SLE patients in remission/low disease activity in three rheumatology centers were included in this randomized, controlled, follow-up study. In addition to the standard of care (SOC), sixteen out of the thirty patients with SLE received balneotherapy (3-week period, 15 times, for 30 min) and fourteen patients received the SOC only. Pre-validated survey instruments including Lupus Quality of Life (LupusQoL), Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Work Productivity, and Activity Impairment-Lupus (WPAI-Lupus) questionnaires were used. Results: Based on the SF-36 questionnaires, several subdomains of physical condition improved significantly after the course; the improvement remained durable (p=0.019). General health improved significantly by the end of the course (p=0.001). According to the LupusQoL questionnaire, physical health and pain showed a tendency of improvement shortly after the spa treatment. Changes in the WPAI-lupus questionnaire indicated a short-term improvement of the daily activity by the end of the observation period. No adverse reactions were observed. Conclusion: Thermal water therapy may be an effective, well-tolerated, complementary non-pharmacological approach for non-inflammatory complaints of patients with SLE. Physical condition improved in the short-term, whereas fatigue worsened despite treatment. %U https://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/invivo/36/6/3010.full.pdf