[Biological rhythms of various hormones and plasma protein parameters in the course of resort treatment]

Three groups of male patients with primary chronic polyarthritis, degenerative arthroses and labile hypertension took part in the study. They undertook spa treatment in three different health resorts. General aim of the study was to obtain information about biological rhythms of epinephrine, norepinephrine and cyclic AMP excretion, as well as about the serum concentration of triiodothyronine, thyroxine, immunoglobulin M, complement C 3 and alpha 2-macroglobulin in correlation with the spa treatment. Further, the occurrence of homogenization was investigated. Epinephrine excretion rhythms with a period length of 24 hours, which were not observed during the first and second week of the cure, occurred in the third week. With regard to norepinephrine excretion the phenomenon described as homogenization appeared. Furthermore, circaseptan rhythms, which could be evaluated as reactions to the spa treatment, were found. The occurrence of the circaseptan rhythms, however, cannot at once be equated directly with a positive result in response to the course of treatment.