Low temperatures in post-operative knee rehabilitation in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Low temperatures were applied (in addition to kinesitherapy), in the form of injected air cooled to -75 C and CO2, to 22 patients (34 knees) recovering from total knee alloplasty or synovectomy. Each procedure lasted 5-7 minutes. The control group consisted o 22 patients (34 knees) treated with kinesitherapy only.

Cryotherapy in the treatment of rheumatic disease.

Cryotherapy is the application of a temperature lower than -100 C to the outer surface of the body, for a period of 2-3 minutes, in order to evoke and make use of physiological reactions to cold. The body's positive response to cryotherapy is a supportive factor in the treatment of the underlying disease and facilitates kinseitherapy.
Low temperatures, obtained by injecting air chilled with liquid nitrogen vapor, can be applied either locally, on selected parts of the locomotor apparatus, or generally, on the entire body (in a cryosauna or cryochamber).

High levels of IL-17 in rheumatoid arthritis patients: IL-15 triggers in vitro IL-17 production via cyclosporin A-sensitive mechanism.

Recent data suggest that IL-15 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. In the present study, we hypothesized that elevated in the joints of rheumatoid arthritis, but not osteoarthritis, patients, IL-15 may exert its proinflammatory properties via the induction of IL-17, a cytokine known to stimulate synoviocytes to release several mediators of inflammation including IL-6, IL-8, GM-CSF and PGE2. To test this hypothesis, we first measured the levels of IL-17 and IL-15 using specific ELISA and found that synovial fluids of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but not with osteoarthritis, contain high levels of these cytokines.

[Cryotherapy in osteoporosis].

Cryotherapy is use of temperature lower than -100 degrees C onto body surface, for 2-3 minutes, in aim to cause physiological reactions for cold and to use such adapting reactions. Organism's positive response to cryotherapy supports treatment of basic disease and facilitates kinesitherapy. Low temperature may be obtained by use of air flow cooled with liquid nitrogen; this could be applied either locally, over chosen part of the body, or generally, over the whole body, in cryosauna or in cryochamber.

[Analgetic treatment and rehabilitation in osteoporosis].

Osteoporosis seems to be a component of body aging process. Through the years, muscles, ligaments, and fasciae loose their natural elasticity; degenerative changes form in joints; also, mechanical resistance of bones reduces. Involutive changes in central nervous system (CNS) cause disturbances in reciprocal transmission of impulses between CNS and muscles.