Evaluation of the natural medical-table hydrocarbonate mineral water application effectiveness in rehabilitation therapy of patients with urolithiasis

Background. Urolithiasis can be considered as a socially significant disease not only because it affects mostly people of working age, but also because it often turns into a chronic form, leading to an increase in the level of disability. This dictates the need to search for effective methods of treatment and prevention of disease recurrence, among which an important role is given to the use of non-pharmacological treatment methods — balneological therapeutic factors.

Aim. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the natural low-mineralized mineral water “Tarkhanskaya-3” use in the rehabilitation therapy of urolithiasis in working-age patients.

Material and methods. The study program involved 33 patients with urolithiasis. The patients of the main group (22 people), who did not have concomitant somatic acute or chronic pathology, took mineral water for 28 days 6 times a day, at home under the supervision of a polyclinic doctor and a nurse , at the rate of 4 ml/kg, degassed, heated to 22–26 °C. The control group (11 people) did not receive mineral water as a non-pharmacological therapy. The history of the disease, changes in the general analysis of urine and well-being (quality of life according to the Wisconsin questionnaire) were studied. The significance of differences was considered according to the generally accepted values of the Student's criterion and χ2.

Results. Comparative assessment of complaints and quality of life showed an improvement in the condition of patients who took mineral water: discomfort during urination disappeared, the number of patients with a positive costovertebral angle tenderness decreased, while no changes were recorded in the control group. In patients of the main group, a tendency towards a decrease in the level of uric acid from 326 to 256 μmol/L (t=0.96; p >0.05) was revealed. Reliable data were obtained on the effect of mineral water intake on inorganic urinary sediment — a decrease in the level of crystalluria (oxalaturia) in 70% of cases (χ2=3.9, p=0.048). Spontaneous discharge of salt crystals was registered in 2/3 of patients, an increase in daily urine output — in all patients who took mineral water. The assessment of the quality of life of the main group patients showed a significant improvement in the state of health according to the scale “impact on health” (t=2.13; p <0.05). Evaluation of clinical and laboratory parameters did not reveal a significant effect on the electrolyte metabolism and concentration function of the kidneys.

Conclusion. The intake of “Tarkhanskaya-3” mineral water for the purpose of secondary prevention in the rehabilitation therapy of urolithiasis has a positive effect on the course of the disease.