[Effect of balneotherapeutic measures on blood rheologic parameters in patients with atherosclerosis]

50 spa patients with established atherosclerosis were divided randomly into 2 therapeutic groups. In addition to the usual balneotherapeutic programme including exercise, one group (J) received a course of "iodine brine concentrate" to drink and the control group (Cl) received a similar course with isotonic NaCl. All patients were submitted to a strictly controlled low cholesterol diet. The following parameters were determined at the beginning and at the end of therapy: total serum cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, fibrinogen, viscosity of whole blood and of plasma, microhaematocrit. Significant improvement was found in total cholesterol and triglycerides (decreases) and in the HDL proportion of total cholesterol (increase) in both groups. Fibrinogen was raised significantly only in the Cl-group and did not alter in the J-group. Plasma viscosity decreased only in the J-group, not in the controls. It is concluded that several haemorheological parameters relevant to atherosclerotic risk are favourably influenced in the direction of haemodilution by the complex balneotherapy used in our spa including diet and exercise. With the exception of additional positive effects on fibrinogen level and on plasma viscosity no other specific effects of the iodine brine were detectable.