ABSTRACT
This research was carried out to define the effects on man during head-out water immersion in a bath at 38.41 +/- 0.04 degrees C (mean +/- S.E.) with a method similar to that used for therapeutical rehabilitation and time of immersion of 30 minutes. Hemorheological, hematic and hemodynamic parameters were analysed. Seventeen healthy subjects (fourteen males and three females), between the ages of 21-65 years and mean age of 29.8 +/- 2.6 years were studied. Head-out water immersion resulted in: 1) decrease in blood viscosity, red blood cells count, C-Hct and M-Hct, without significant changes in leukocytes and platelets count, MCV, plasma viscosity, erythrocyte filtration time and RCDI; 2) an increase in heart rate and a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Thirty minutes after the end of immersion, heart rate, diastolic blood pressure and blood viscosity, measured at 0.512 sec-1 shear rate, returned to pre-immersion values; systolic blood pressure showed a slight increase but was still significantly below the basal levels; erythrocytes count, C-Hct, M-Cct and blood viscosity, measured at 94.5 sec-1 shear rate, significantly exceeded pre-immersion values. The probable pathogenesis of these observations is suggested. A matter of great interest is the study of the same parameters in elderly subjects, with or without cardiovascular diseases, or in patients using drugs affecting blood pressure, blood viscosity or hemocoagulation process.
Subject(s)
Blood Pressure , Blood Viscosity , Heart Rate , Hydrotherapy , Adult , Aged , Erythrocyte Count , Female , Hematocrit , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , TemperatureABSTRACT
This research was carried out to define the effects on men of head-out water immersion in a bath at 38.41 +/- 0.04 degrees C (mean +/- S.E.) with a method similar to that used for therapeutical rehabilitation and time of immersion of 30 minutes. Beta-endorphin, renin activity, aldosterone, cortisol, HGH, FSH, LH, TSH, T3, T4 and prolactin haematic levels were analysed. Seventeen healthy subjects (fourteen males and three females), aged 21-65 years (mean age 29.8 +/- 2.6) were studied. Water immersion caused a decrease in FSH and LH haematic concentrations; no significant changes occurred in beta-endorphin, renin activity, aldosterone, prolactin, cortisol, HGH, TSH, T3, T4 and FTI values. Thirty minutes after the end of immersion, FSH and LH levels returned to pre-immersion values. The probable pathogenesis of these observations is suggested.
Subject(s)
Endorphins/blood , Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood , Hydrotherapy , Luteinizing Hormone/blood , Renin/blood , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Temperature , beta-EndorphinABSTRACT
The following study was designed to evaluate plasma beta-endorphin (beta-EP) variations in healthy volunteers during thermoneutral head-out water immersion while prevalently in the standing position. The type of immersion was similar to that currently adopted for therapeutic rehabilitation. Plasma beta-EP was evaluated by RIA previous beta-lipotropin stripping and Sep-Pack cartridge methanol extraction. Plasma beta-EP levels significantly decreased during water immersion from a value of 12.71 +/- 2.04 pmol/l to 7.46 +/- 1.09 pmol/l at 15 min (P less than 0.05) and to 6.08 +/- 1.87 pmol/l at 30 min (P less than 0.01). Thirty min after the end of immersion, plasma beta-EP levels showed a slight increase to 6.98 +/- 1.88 pmol/l but were still significantly below the basal level (P less than 0.05). These results are consistent with the previously demonstrated decrease of ACTH and prolactin and the increase of plasma dopamine and decrease of norepinephrine, suggesting that thermoneutral head-out water immersion is not a stressful condition in healthy subjects. Further studies are necessary in order to clarify the mechanism involved in beta-EP decrease in normal subjects during thermoneutral head-out water immersion.