[Behavior of lipids, other serum parameters and cardiovascular functions in ultraviolet therapy]

During a period of 3 years, four controlled clinical studies in 34 patients with hypercholesterolaemia and 40 healthy persons--in some cases with stratification of the basic cholesterol levels and matched pair formation--were performed to find out the effects of serial sun-like UV irradiation on various serum parameters and blood circulation functions. The following significant effects were observed. Patients with hypercholesterolaemia: increase of HDL cholesterol after termination of the serial UV irradiation, increase of serum 25(OH)D3 levels, decrease of serum triiodothyronine, decrease of serum lactate; healthy persons: decrease of resting pulse rate, decrease of recovery pulse rate, decrease of systolic blood pressure. All effects were induced by application of suberythematous UV doses, i.e. amounts of UV with a relatively low risk of side effects.