Medical Research
Effects of Rehabilitation Winter Camps at the Dead Sea on European
Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Aviv D. Goldbart MD MSc1, Arnon D. Cohen MD MPH2, Dahlia Weitzman PhD3 and Asher Tal MD1
1Department of Pediatrics, Soroka University Medical Center, 2Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, and
3Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel

Conclusions:
In this attrition-limited retrospective study, European CF patients improved their pulmonary function and gained weight during and up to 3 months after a 3 week rehabilitation winter camp at the Dead Sea, Israel.

Click here for abstract
(IMAJ - The Israeli Medical Association Journal).		IMAJ - The Israeli Medical Association Journal
Cover

The effect of low altitude at the Dead Sea on exercise capacity and Cardio-Pulmonary responce to exercise in the CF patients of moderate serverity

Bareket Falk Ph.D.1, Asaph Nini M.D., M.Sc.2, Levana Zigel B.Sc.1, Yaacov Yahav M.D.3, Huda Mussaffi M.D.4, Micha Aviram, M.D.5, Joseph Rivlin, M.D.6, Lea Bentur M.D.7 Avraham Avital M.D.8, Raffy Dotan M.Sc.1, Hannah Blau M.B.B.S.4

1 Ribstein Center for Sport Medicine Sciences and Research, Wingate Institute, Israel
2 Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Sackler Faculty of
Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
3 National Center for Cystic Fibrosis, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, and
Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
4 Pulmonary and Cystic Fibrosis Unit, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah-Tikva, and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
5 Department of Pediatrics and Cystic Fibrosis Clinic, Soroka Medical Center, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel
6 Department of Pediatrics and Cystic Fibrosis Center, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
7 Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
8 Institute of Pulmonology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel

Conclusion:
These results suggest that even a brief stay at the Dead Sea area may have physiological benefits for CF patients with moderate to severe lung disease. This study was presented at the meeting of the Israel Clinical Pediatric Society in Tel Aviv, February 2005

For more information (abstract) , click here.

The effect of a winter camp for Cystic Fibrosis Patients
at The Dead Sea Region

Eldar M. Berkovits1, Edmond Sabo, Asher Tal2
1Family Medicine Department, B. Rapaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
2Pediatric Division, Soroka University Med Ctr, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel


Conclusion:
CF patients benefit while staying in the Dead Sea area, an ideal rehabilitation place during the winter. Our observation with 73 CF patients who spent 3-4 weeks in this area are encouraging, indicating the beneficial effects of the richer oxygen environment, in relation to arterial oxygen saturation and lung function.

For more information (abstract) , click here.

Lack of transmition of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (PA) among European Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients attending health camps at the Dead Sea Israel

Goldbart A.², Greenberg D.¹, Porat N.³, Yagupsky P.³, Trefler R.¹, Tal A. ².
¹ Pediatric Infectious Disease Unit, ² Pediatric Department, ³ Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva Israel.

Conclusion:

  • Short stays of CF patients in health camps in the Dead Sea do not enhance P.
    aeruginosa transmission among participants.
  • Phenotypic typing P. aeruginosa may lead to false conclusions and genotypic
    methods should be used to prove or disprove person to person transmission.
  • Patients carried the same P. aeruginosa strains during the entire three weeks Period.
  • Individual patients may be colonized by multiple strains of P. aeruginosa.
  • P. aeruginosa usually distinctive and unchanging in each patient.
  • Segregation of patients according to the carriage status of specific organisms may contribute to the lack of transmission among CF patients in health camps in the Dead Sea.
Click here for abstract
(IMAJ - The Israeli Medical Association Journal).		IMAJ - The Israeli Medical Association Journal

 

Sustaind improvment of Cystic Fibrosis Patients
exposed to a Dead Sea winter Rehabilitation Camp

Goldbart A.1, Sabo E.2, Tal A.1.
¹ Pediatric Department, Soroka Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
² Rapaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel

Conclusion:

  • We demonstrated a significant improvement in FEV1 as well as SaO2, lasting at least two months after patients returned to their countries of origin, after a 3 weeks stay at a rehabilitation camp at the Dead Sea area.
  • While at camp the patients significantly gained weight, and continued this trend for at least 3 months.
For more information (abstract) , click here.


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