Osteoarthrosis (OA) is a disease based on the degeneration and destruction of articular cartilage with subsequent proliferation of underlying bone resulting into the joint deformity and dysfunction. It mostly affects 40-60 year old women; however, significant “rejuvenation” of the disease is observed recently. The expressed symptoms of OA are observed in the people at the age of 35-45. On the other hand, the morbidity rate of OA is increasing increases among males (Gogin, 1991; Okorokov, 1997; Chirkin etc., 1993).

The development of medical nanotechnology, including the use of fulereno-type Shungite carbon (FSC) in the treatment of Osteoarthrosis provides new opportunities for the treatment and prevention of this pathology.

Background

The following effects of FSC are known so far: antibacterial (Krutous, 2002; Rysyev, 2002; Khadartsev and others, 2005), antiviral (Khadartsev, 2005), immune stimulating in the absence of stimulation of Ig E response (Khadartsev, 2005), anticancer (Khadartsev, 2005), anti-inflammatory/ antioxidant (lipid peroxidation blockade) (Krutous, 2002; Rysyev and others 2002), antihistamine (Rysyev and others, 2002), ionizing and non-ionizing radiation screening (Subbotina and others, 2003).

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the external use of Shungite paste in the patients with Osteoarthrosis of different localization.

The study was conducted at Krasivo Health Resort (Belgorod, Russia).

The study involved 254 patients (153 women and 101 men) at the average age of 44.7 with a significant OA of the knee and hip joints and the average disease duration of 7.4 years. 87 of them received monotherapy with the use of Shungite paste (5-7 manipulations), 92 people got the ozocerite treatment (8 manipulations) and 73 people had the combined physical therapy (laser-magnetic + pine-sea baths: 8 manipulations per patient).

Cases

A two-lateral process occurred in 165 cases (64.9%), unilateral – in 89 (35.0%). Osteoarthrosis stage was determined by radiological method outpatiently according to Kellgren-Lawrence classification. The 1 class joint changes were revealed in 151 cases (59.4%), the 2 class changes – in 49 cases (19.3%), the third class changes – in 18 cases (7.0 %). The structural analysis showed approximately equal correlation between the studied groups of patients with different severity of the disease.

Densitometry was applied for specific indications at the health resort. Osteopenia was diagnosed in 43 cases (16.9%), osteoporosis – in 14 cases (5.5%).

Synovitis was diagnosed in 4 cases (1.5%).

The painful articular syndrome intensity was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS); the joint dysfunction was evaluated by Leken index. Special attention was given to the chance of the Shungite paste treatment side effects occurrence.

Treatments

Shungite paste was applied in smooth thin layer on the affected joint area (the polyethylene was applied atop).  This was for 2-3 hours a day, 5-6 applications per joint. It is worth mentioning that patients received no other treatments during the period of the use of the paste except for the cases of synovitis complications of the articular process.

In these cases, hirudotherapy (2-3 sessions), magnet therapy (4-5 sessions) and the addition of anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac, Nise) were used to prepare the joints for Shungite therapy. After synovitis reduction, the sparing Shungite paste treatment was prescribed, according to which the application duration made 30-60 minutes.

The control group consisted of 48 patients suffering from this disease that did not receive physical therapy through some contraindications (tumor diseases in anamnesis).

The statistical analysis included collection of descriptive data such as the average and standard divergence, confidence intervals. The comparative analysis was conducted with the application of Student t-test number (Kashin, 1994).

Treatment results and their discussion.

In the course of comparative analysis it was found that the pain acuteness decreased (see the chart). The joint function significantly improved after the first Shungite paste application to the patients with degenerative disc disease. ( VAS 6.3±0.354.4±0.36; Leken index 10.1±0.39-7.7±0.38). Whereas the results were different for Ozocerite treatment (5.2±0.25-4.9±0.35; Leken index 8.8±0.33-8.3±0.35) and combined physiotherapy (6.2±0.32 -5.8±0.37; Leken index of 9.7±0.35-9.0±0.35). By the end of the course, significant pain relief and joint function improvement was found in all 3 treatment groups (VAS 6.3±0.35-1.5±0.11; 5.2±0.252.2±0.15; 6.2±0.32-2.5±0.19; Leken index 10.1±0.39-5.3±0.26; 8.8±0.33-6.2±0.36; 9.7±0.35-6.5±0.29); however, pain relief and joint function improvement were more evident in the group of patients that received Shungite treatment and that was differed from the other two treatment groups (VAS 1.5±0.11/ 2.2±0.15-3.1±0.19; Leken index 5.3±0.26/ 6.2±0.36-6.5±0.29) between which (2.2±0.15/ 2.5±0.19; Leken index 6.2±0.36-6.5±0.29) no difference was found in this data.

Chart Osteoarthrosis