Combining balneotherapy and health promotion to promote active and healthy ageing: the Balaruc-MACVIA-LR approach.

Scaling up and replication of successful innovative integrated care models for chronic diseases is one of the targets of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA). MACVIA-LR (MAladies Chroniques pour un VIeillissement Actif en Languedoc-Roussillon) is a Reference Site of the EIP on AHA. The main objective of MACVIA-LR is to develop innovative solutions in order to (1) improve the care of patients affected by chronic diseases, (2) reduce avoidable hospitalization and (3) scale up the innovation to regions of Europe.

Crenobalneotherapy (spa therapy) in patients with knee and generalized osteoarthritis: a post-hoc subgroup analysis of a large multicentre randomized trial.

Objective: To determine whether the addition of spa therapy to home exercises provides any benefit over exercises and the usual treatment alone in the management of generalised osteoarthritis associated with knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: This study was a post-hoc subgroup analysis of our randomised multicentre trial (www.clinicaltrial.

Spa therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a large randomised multicentre trial.

Objective: To determine whether spa therapy, plus home exercises and usual medical treatment provides any benefit over exercises and usual treatment, in the management of knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: Large multicentre randomised prospective clinical trial of patients with knee osteoarthritis according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria, attending French spa resorts as outpatients between June 2006 and April 2007. Zelen randomisation was used so patients were ignorant of the other group and spa personnel were not told which patients were participating.