[Use of gravity therapy and discrete plasmapheresis in treatment of atherosclerosis obliterans]

The authors carried out a comparative analysis of the results of management of patients presenting with stage II lower-limb atherosclerosis obliterans according to the classification of A.V. Pokrovsky (1973) in three clinical groups. Group One patients (n=118) were subjected to conventional conservative therapy combined with gravitational therapy, Group Two patients (n=28) underwent plasmapheresis on the background of standard conservative therapy, and Group Three patients (n=40) in the composition of the combined therapy received gravity therapy and plasmapheresis. Prior to treatment, the patients were found to have alterations in the lipid spectrum mainly at the expense of an increase in the level of triglycerides, elevated concentration of C-reactive protein, and pronounced circulatory impairments in the lower extremities on ultrasound Doppler examination. After treatment, the most effective correction of the levels of C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and triglycerides appeared to be in those groups where patients received plasmapheresis. The use of gravitational therapy ensured a considerable increase in the regional blood flow. A combination of plasmapheresis and gravitational therapy in the composition of comprehensive therapy made it possible to act upon various links of pathogenesis of atherosclerosis obliterans and to substantially improve the treatment outcomes in this cohort of patients.