Two recent studies have shown that hydrotherapy has a role to play in the treatment of asthma. In one study (1) conducted at the Division of Medicine, Misasa Medical Branch, Okayma University Medical School, the clinical effects of spa therapy (swimming training in a hot spring pool inhalation of iodine salt solution) were examined in 52 patients with steroid-dependent in-tractable asthma (SDIA). Beneficial clinical effects were found in 36 of the 52 (69.2%) patients with SDIA. The benefits were higher in the patients between the ages of 41 and 50 (87.5%) and between 51 and 60 (84.2%) than in those in the other age groups.
As far as the benefits of the spa therapy for patients with specific types of clinical asthma, the efficacy was found to be higher in patients with type Ia-2 (83.4%), type lb (77.8%) and type 11(80.0%) than in those with type Ia-I (54.2%).
The researchers also found that decreased function of the adrenocortical glands expressed by low serum cortisol levels improved after the spa therapy, and this was accompanied by a reduction in the dose of glucocorticoids necessary to control asthma attacks.
A further trial (2) conducted at the Division of Medicine, Misasa Medical Branch, Okayama University Medical School, Japan revealed similar findings. In this study, 37 patients with steroid-dependent intractable asthma were examined focussing on the improvement of ventilatory function following spa therapy. All of the patients had been on long-term corticosteroids therapy before spa therapy.
The results found that Spa therapy improved the values of ventilatory parameters significantly, especially in patients with type II asthma and the re-port went on to recommend Spa therapy to help improve the condition of small airways disorder in patients with steroid-dependent intractable asthma.
(1) Tanizaki Y; Kitani H; Okazaki M; Mifune T; Mitsunobu F; Honke N Clinical effects of complex spa therapy on patients with steroid-dependent in-tractable asthma (SDIA).Arerugi (JAPAN) Mar 1993, 42 (3 Pt 1) p219-27
(2) Tanizaki Y; Kitani H; Okazaki M; Mifune T; Mitsunobu F; Ochi K; Harada H; Kimura I Spa therapy improves ventilatory function in the small airways of patients with steroid-depend-ent intractable asthma (SDIA). Acta Med Okayama (JAPAN) Jun 1992 46 (3) p175-8
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