title: The therapeutic activity of sulphate-bicarbonate-calcium-magnesiac mineral water in the functional disorders of the biliary tract.
abstract: Functional disorders of the biliary tract involve gallbladder and sphincter of Oddi and cause pain and/or digestive troubles. In this context, in addition to pharmacological treatments, an important role is played by the use of sodium-sulphate and sulphate-bicarbonate mineral waters that, because of their composition into ions macro and trace elements, can stimulate the release or modulate the activity of some neurohumoral regulators of the digestive process. We want to do a study on the effects of hydropinotherapy with a sulphate-bicarbonate-calcium-magnesium mineral water in patients suffering from pain and other symptoms caused by biliary dyskinesias, biliary sand (without gallstones), or following a cholecystectomy (post-cholecystectomy syndromes).
  
  
  
  We enrolled 43 patients suffering from those affections; all the patients did two cycles in one year of hydropinotherapy with Acqua Santa at Italy's Chianciano Spa; 20 of these patients did a third cycle of hydropinotherapy in the second year of the study. At the end of the second and of the third cycle we compared the frequency of eleven main symptoms in both groups and we also performed an longitudinal-observational study on the frequency of those symptoms before the beginning of the first cycle of the therapy and at the end of the second and of the third cycle. Statistical analyses were based on the use of Pearson's χ2 test.
  
  
  
  The frequency of the symptoms observed at the end of second and third cicle of hydropinotherapy was significantly lower than that considered before starting therapy. The differences were statistically significant.
  
  
  
  The results of our research regarding the hydropinotherapy by sulphate-bicarbonate-calcium-magnesium mineral water show a significant improvement of symptoms in patients suffering from disturbances of biliary tract.
authors.affiliation: Department Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines, Operative Unit of Internal Medicine E, Medical Therapy and Thermal Medicine - Postgraduate School in Thermal Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mennuni
authors.affiliation: Department Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines, Operative Unit of Internal Medicine E, Medical Therapy and Thermal Medicine - Postgraduate School in Thermal Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petraccia
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.affiliation: Department Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines, Operative Unit of Internal Medicine E, Medical Therapy and Thermal Medicine - Postgraduate School in Thermal Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nocchi
authors.affiliation: Chianciano Spa.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stortini
authors.affiliation: Chianciano Spa.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romoli
authors.affiliation: Chianciano Spa.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.affiliation: Department Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines, Operative Unit of Internal Medicine E, Medical Therapy and Thermal Medicine - Postgraduate School in Thermal Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Priori
authors.affiliation: Department Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines, Operative Unit of Internal Medicine E, Medical Therapy and Thermal Medicine - Postgraduate School in Thermal Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.affiliation: Departement of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, National Institute of Health.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geraci
authors.affiliation: University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serio
authors.affiliation: Department Internal Medicine and Medical Disciplines, Operative Unit of Internal Medicine E, Medical Therapy and Thermal Medicine - Postgraduate School in Thermal Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fraioli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001659:Biliary Tract / Q000187:drug effects; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D002133:Calcium Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008900:Mineral Waters / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D008900:Mineral Waters; C031556:calcium bicarbonate; D002133:Calcium Sulfate
keywords: functional disorders of the biliary tract; hydropinotherapy; longitudinal-observational study; mineral waters; sulphate-bicarbonate-calcium-magnesiac water