title: [Uncontrolled clinical study of the efficacy of ambulant fasting in patients with osteoarthritis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the efficacy of fasting therapy according to Buchinger on pain, state of health, and articular function in patients with osteoarthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Uncontrolled pilot study in which 30 patients (22 women, 8 men) with osteoarthritis (Kellgren stages I-III) of the hand (N = 10), hip (N = 8) and knee (N = 12) underwent ambulant fasting therapy according to Buchinger for 2 weeks with 3 pre-fast days, 8 fast days (300 kcal) and 4 re-feed days as well as follow-up 4 and 12 weeks afterwards. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA: Global intensity of pain (visual analogue scale, VAS); joint pain with activity, with start of walking, at rest (VAS); pressure pain threshold; articular function; health-related quality of life (SF-36 including Physical Component Score and Mental Component Score); Western Ontario and McMasters Universities Arthrose Index (WOMAC); painDETECT-questionnaire (Pfizer); analgesics; weight; body mass index (BMI); waist circumference; blood pressure; pulse and a variety of serological parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain, state of health, and articular function improved significantly; significant reduction in weight, BMI, and waist circumference during fasting and over the complete course of the study; analgesics could be reduced. No abnormalities in autonomous, metabolic, or blood parameters were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medically supervised fasting can have a positive impact on the symptoms of patients with moderate osteoarthritis. This finding must be consolidated by controlled studies that include higher numbers of patients.
authors.affiliation: Kompetenzzentrum Naturheilverfahren, Klinik für Innere Medizin II, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Deutschland. sebastianschmidt81@web.de
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stange
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lischka
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiehntopf
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deufel
authors.forename: Dorit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Loth
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uhlemann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D015992:Body Mass Index; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy*; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy*; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000178:diet therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055105:Waist Circumference