[Survey of quality of life of rheumatoid arthritis patients admitted to rehabilitation centres in Hungary].

Introduction: There are limited data about the quality of life of rheumatoid arthritis patients admitted to rehabilitation centres in Hungary.

Aim: The aim of the authors was to assess demographic data, social status, health related quality of life, and needs for assistance and disease-related information of 239 rheumatoid arthritis patients (169 women and 7 men) admitted to four rehabilitation centres in Hungary.

Method: For the assessment of demographic, social and other data the authors developed questionnaires.

[Quality of life of osteoporotic patients treated in rheumatology rehabilitation in-patient units].

Unlabelled: There has been no report on demographic, social and quality of life data of osteoporotic patients attending rheumatology rehabilitation in-patient units in Hungary.

Aim: The authors analyzed the data of osteoporotic patients treated in rheumatology rehabilitation departments as in-patients in four hospitals in Hungary.

Methods: Demographic and social data were obtained by using a questionnaire developed by the authors, and quality of life was assessed with the use of the SF-36 questionnaire.

Psychosocial, educational, and somatic factors in chronic nonspecific low back pain.

Analysis of the effect of psychosocial factors and co-morbidities on the health status of patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain and patients with surgical intervention because of disk herniation was performed. One hundred and two nonselected consecutive inpatients with chronic nonspecific low back pain were included in the study. Their average age was 56.

Depressive symptoms in early rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative longitudinal study.

Our objective was to investigate symptoms of depression in early rheumatoid arthritis (eRA) patients, and follow them longitudinally during a 3-year prospective study of 73 Hungarian and 45 Austrian early rheumatoid arthritis patients. Compared to validated national population data, mild symptoms of depression were detected in Hungarian early rheumatoid arthritis patients, which were independent of corticosteroid use. In the Hungarian subgroup, the Beck Depression Inventory scores were found to be stable during follow-up.

The effect of the thermal mineral water of Nagybaracska on patients with knee joint osteoarthritis--a double blind study.

To study the effect of thermal mineral water of Nagybaracska (Hungary) on patients with primary knee osteoarthritis in a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, 64 patients with nonsurgical knee joint osteoarthritis were randomly selected either into the thermal mineral water or into the tap water group in a non-spa resort village. The patients of both groups received 30-min sessions of bathing, 5 days a week for four consecutive weeks. The patients were evaluated by a blind observer immediately before and at the end of the trial using Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) indices and follow-up assessment 3 months later.