7/31/2019 The effect of balneotherapy on C-reactive protein, serum cholesterol, triglyceride, total antioxidant status and HS

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ORIGINAL PAPER

The effect of balneotherapy on C-reactive protein,serum cholesterol, triglyceride, total antioxidant statusand HSP-60 levels

Mihly Olh & gnes Koncz & Judit Fehr &Judit Klmnczhey & Csaba Olh & Sndor Balogh &Gyrgy Nagy & Tams Bender

Received: 15 July 2009 /Revised: 19 October 2009 /Accepted: 20 October 2009# ISB 2009

Abstract An increasing body of evidence substantiatingthe effectiveness of balneotherapy has accumulated duringrecent decades. In the present study, 42 ambulatory patients(23 males and 19 females, mean age 59.5 years) withdegenerative musculoskeletal disease were randomised intoone of two groupsbathing in tap water or in mineralwater at the same temperatureand subjected to 30-min

balneotherapy sessions on 15 occasions. Study parameterscomprised serum levels of sensitised C-reactive protein(CRP), plasma lipids, heat shock protein (HSP-60) and total

antioxidant status (TAS). In both groups, CRP levelsfollowed a decreasing tendency, which still persisted3 months later. At 3 months after balneotherapy, serumcholesterol levels were still decreasing in patients who hadused medicinal water, but exhibited a trend towards anincrease in the control group. Triglyceride levels followed adecreasing trend in both patient groups. TAS showed adeclining tendency in both groups. No changes of HSP-60levels were observed in either group. Balneotherapy with thethermal water from Hajdszoboszl spa had a more pro-nounced physiological effect compared to that seen in thecontrol group treated with tap water in a 3 month period.

Keywords Balneotherapy . Atherosclerosis .

C-reactive protein

Introduction

Balneotherapy is a field of curative medicine that utilisesthe beneficial effects of mineral waters (Bender et al. 2005).In addition to the physical properties of water, the mode ofaction of this treatment probably involves the absorption ofmineral solutes through the skin. In a number of European

countries (as well as in Japan and Israel, for example),balneotherapy has long been a specialty of regularmedicine. In the United States it has become known asspa therapyalthough this term refers to a more complextreatment modality, which often uses additional, naturalhealing factors and many elements of physiotherapy alongwith mineral water (Sukenik et al. 1999). The body ofevidence substantiating the effectiveness of balneotherapyhas been increasing progressively during recent decades(Nasermoadelli and Kagamimori 2006). Notwithstanding

M. Olh:

J. Fehr:

J. KlmnczheyHungarospa Hajdszoboszl,Hajdszoboszl, Hungary

C. OlhDepartment of Neurosurgery, BAZ County Hospital,Miskolc, Hungary

G. Nagy : T. BenderPolyclinic, Hospital of the HospitallerBrothers of St. John of God,Budapest, Hungary

S. Balogh

National Institute of Primary Health Care, University of Szeged,Szeged, Hungary

. KonczHeim Pl Paediatric Hospital,Budapest, Hungary

T. Bender (*)Budai Irgalmasrendi Krhz,rpd fejedelem u. 7,1023 Budapest, Hungarye-mail: bender@mail.datanet.hue-mail: bender.tamas@irgalmas.hu

Int J BiometeorolDOI 10.1007/s00484-009-0276-6

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