Orin

Reason:
We already knew that magnetotherapy had been effective mainly for its pain-killing effect in cases of degenerative diseases of the locomotion apparatus.

The basic questions:

1. Can it work in the ankylosing spondylitis as well ?
2. Can it cause any impairment ?
3. Can this procedure modify the course of other (concurrent) diseases ?
4. Can it work in any or only certain degree of the disease ?
5. How long can the reached effect last ?
6. Can the process of the disease be somehow influenced ?
7. Can a basic schedule for magnetotherapy be worked out ?

Patients:
The first 14 patients - "controls" (placebo group)
Age: females 45 - 57 years, males 37 - 58 years
Process:

1. Examination
2. Not energized device, "blind" exposures 2 weeks, 10 times
3. Examination
4. "True" magnetotherapy, 2 weeks, 10 times
5. Examination

The rest 73 patients - "exposed" (exposed group)
Age: females 20 - 57 years, males 21 - 64 years
Process:

1. Examination
2. "True" magnetotherapy, 2 weeks, 10 times
3. Examination

Exposure duration 10 minutes at the beginning, 15-20 minutes since the 5th exposure. Frequency of pulsed magnetic field about 6 Hz.
What we followed up: Spine motility parameters, Pain scale, Haematology, Serum biochemistry.

Answers:

1. Can it work in the ankylosing spondylitis as well ?
   Yes.
2. Can it cause any impairment ?
   Observed in one case only.
3. Can this procedure modify the course of other diseases ?
   Not observed.
4. Can it work in any or only certain degree of the disease ?
   Can not be answered because of very variable clinical picture. It worked regadless of degree, age, gender, patient's history.
5. How long can the reached effect last ?
   At least 6 months, although even 9 years alleviation was reported.
6. Can the process of the disease be somehow changed ?
   It seems that yes, mainly if magnetotherapy is incorporated in the complex rehabilitation care that must be performed during the whole life of the patient.
7. Can a basic schedule for magnetotherapy be worked out ?
   It was.

Neither in clinical conditions nor in laboratory tests any sign of basic or concurrent impairment were found that could be attributed to the exposures to magnetic fields. The only exception was a patient (male, 42 years old, stage IV) where the paravertebral myositis developed. In this unique case magnetotherapy was cancelled. If applied as a part in the complex rehabilitation care (rehabilitation centres, spas, ...), no one reported any adverse effect up to date.
Results of this study are graphically shown on the diagram.