Balneotherapy and physiotherapy in treatment of cognitive and psychoemotional disorders in patients with chronic cerebral ischemia

Background. Chronic cerebral ischemia, or discirculatory encephalopathy, is one of the most common neurological diagnosis in Russia. This condition is defined as a chronic, progressive, non-stroke-related vascular lesion of the brain, which is manifested predominantly by cognitive impairment. Therapeutic measures for cognitive impairment include, first of all, the prevention of acute cerebrovascular accidents and chronic vascular cerebral insufficiency. The development and implementation of highly effective non-drug treatment methods, having few side effects, is an urgent problem in contemporary medicine. Such treatment methods can include balneotherapy and physiotherapy.

Aim: to justify the possibility and expediency of applying at the health resort treatment stage the combined use of iodine-bromine baths and a pulsed low-frequency electrostatic field in patients with chronic cerebral ischemia in order to correct cognitive and psychoemotional disorders and improve the quality of life.

Methods. The study included 90 patients with chronic cerebral ischemia, who were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups. The control group patients received iodine-bromine baths, the comparison group patients received exposure to an alternating pulsed low-frequency electrostatic field using the HIVAMAT-200 apparatus, and the main group patients received iodine-bromine baths and exposure to a pulsed low-frequency electrostatic field. The cognitive and emotional-volitional sphere was studied using standard neuropsychological techniques, namely the minimum cognitive deficit scale Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE); Luria’s test, the Clock Drawing test, Schulte tables, and Yu.L. Hanin’s anxiety scales. The study of quality of life was performed using the Russian version of the general questionnaire MOS SF 36 Iterm Short-Form Health Survey.

Results. It has been proved that as a result of treatment, disorders of memory and attention are reduced, the general cognitive status of patients is improved, which slows down the disease progression, reduces the risk of vascular catastrophes and dementia.

Conclusion. New medical technologies developed for the treatment of patients with chronic cerebral ischemia at the health resort treatment stage are highly effective, pathogenetically substantiated, and can be recommended for widespread use in a network of health resort institutions and rehabilitation and preventive institutions of practical health care.