[Effect of mild gravitational overload on the progression of lower limb arteriosclerosis obliterans]

The paper analyses the effect of mild gravitational overload (MGO) produced by patient's centrifugation in short-radius centrifuge in cranio-sacral orientation (+Gz) as a part of combined therapy for lower limb arteriosclerosis obliterans. Total 211 patients with I-II grade disease were divided into 3 groups: the first group (59 patients) was treated only by MGO, the second (100 patients) received both MGO and conventional conservative therapy, the third control group (52 patients) underwent conventional therapy only. The best clinical outcome was achieved in the 1st and 2nd groups. Pain-free walking distance increased 2-5-fold (vs 1.5 in control), mean volume blood flow velocity in different arterial beds increased 21-33% (vs 7.5% in control), index of regional perfusion - 25-29% (vs 10% in control), ankle-brachial index - 0.09-0.17 (vs 0.03 in control). Computer termography revealed recovery of leg and foot termographic picture in 86.67%, 92.59%, and 42.86% of cases in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd groups, respectively. Similarly, exercise tolerance measured by bicycle ergometry increased in the 1st and 2nd groups 1.5-1.9-fold (mean 60-85 s) and 1.3-fold (mean 37 s) in control. Thus mild gravitational overload has demonstrated clinical effectiveness in complex therapy of lower limb arteriosclerosis obliterans.