[Peloid therapy: the theoretical and practical aspects, problems and prospects of its development].

The present literature review contains the data on the history of peloid therapy, current concepts of the mechanisms of its action, and up-to-date methods of peloid applications. Special emphasis is laid on the lack of relevant information concerning selected aspects of peloid therapy, debatable views of its application and mechanisms of action. The review is concluded by the discussion of the prospects for further research and practical use of peloid therapy.

[Global tendencies in the development of medical spa].

The legal framework and the regulatory documents on which to base the development and activity of the medical spa in this country are practically absent which accounts for the necessity to analyse the global tendencies in this sphere. The authors review the literature data concerning the current trends in the development of health resort business and rehabilitative medicine and consider a new type of therapeutic and health-improving facilities known as "medical spa". The main aspects of the work of these centres with special reference to their therapeutic/preventive and organizational activities are discussed with due regard for the global experience and international practices in these fields.

[Spa-based water procedures and complications in the course of their performance].

The scope of applications of spa-based water procedures have become considerably extended during the recent years; accordingly, the frequency of complications and accidents has increased. The present review considers the possible mechanisms underlying such complications and various factors promoting their development, such as the patients' age and chronic diseases, the use of pharmaceutical products affecting thermoregulation and cardiovascular function. Special attention is given to the influence of alcohol consumption on the frequency of complications, accidents, and sudden death associated with hyperthermal procedures, the possibility of infectious diseases and measures necessary for their prevention.

[The balneotherapy importance of the silicon compounds in siliciferous waters when used externally]. / Bal'neoterapevticheskoe znachenie kremnistykh soedinenii v kremniisoderzhashchikh vod pri ikh naruzhnom primenenii.

Bath therapy was assigned to 300 patients with primary hypothyroidism, chronic venous insufficiency of the legs, neurologic symptoms of lumbar osteochondrosis. Fresh, siliceous, siliceous carbon-dioxide and carbon-dioxide waters were tested comparatively. It is reported that siliceous baths with threshold silicon compounds concentration 50 mg/l had the effect similar to that of fresh-water baths. Indications have been specified for introduction of carbon dioxide and siliceous carbon dioxide baths in the diseases studied.