Costantino Maria, Giudice Valentina, Marongiu Francesco, Marongiu Mariagrazia Bathilde, Filippelli Amelia, Kunhardt Horst
Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Dentistry, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy.
Non-Profit Association F.I.R.S.Thermae (Interdisciplinary Training, Researches and Spa Sciences), 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy.
Diseases. 2024 Oct 1;12(10):232. doi: 10.3390/diseases12100232.
The COVID-19 pandemic has left behind mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders among survivors. This study assessed the efficacy of spa therapy in enhancing psychological well-being and sleep quality in individuals with chronic arthro-rheumatic, respiratory, and otorhinolaryngological diseases, including COVID-19 recoverees. Our prospective observational study included 144 Caucasian subjects from three Italian spas who underwent a 2-week spa therapy cycle, involving balneotherapy and/or inhalation treatments. Symptoms were assessed with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), psychological well-being with Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 items (DASS-21), and sleep quality with the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Significant reductions in VAS scores for arthro-rheumatic, respiratory, and otorhinolaryngological symptoms were observed after spa therapy, as well as for DASS-21 and ISI scores for sleep quality, transitioning to less severe insomnia categories. Females had more pronounced improvements in DASS-21 scores and sleep quality. Subjects with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection experienced significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and stress, with more pronounced improvements in those without prior infection. COVID-19 survivors also showed significant ISI score improvements. Spa therapy is a promising complementary treatment for improving mental health and sleep quality in chronic disease patients, including COVID-19 survivors.
新冠疫情给幸存者留下了焦虑、抑郁和睡眠障碍等心理健康问题。本研究评估了水疗疗法对改善患有慢性关节风湿性疾病、呼吸系统疾病和耳鼻喉科疾病（包括新冠康复者）的个体的心理健康和睡眠质量的疗效。我们的前瞻性观察性研究纳入了来自意大利三个温泉浴场的144名白种人受试者，他们接受了为期2周的水疗周期，包括浴疗法和/或吸入疗法。症状采用视觉模拟量表（VAS）进行评估，心理健康采用21项抑郁焦虑压力量表（DASS-21）进行评估，睡眠质量采用失眠严重程度指数（ISI）进行评估。水疗治疗后，关节风湿性、呼吸性和耳鼻喉科症状的VAS评分显著降低，睡眠质量的DASS-21和ISI评分也显著降低，失眠严重程度类别转变为较轻的类别。女性在DASS-21评分和睡眠质量方面的改善更为明显。有和没有感染过SARS-CoV-2的受试者的焦虑、抑郁和压力都有显著降低，没有感染过的受试者改善更为明显。新冠康复者的ISI评分也有显著改善。水疗疗法是一种有前景的辅助治疗方法，可改善包括新冠康复者在内的慢性病患者的心理健康和睡眠质量。
