ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Influence of Cryogenic Temperatures
on Inflammatory Markers in Patients
with Ankylosing Spondylitis
Agata Stanek1, Grzegorz Cieślar1, Joanna Strzelczyk2, Sławomir Kasperczyk3,
Karolina Sieroń-Stoltny1, Andrzej Wiczkowski2, Ewa Birkner3, Aleksander Sieroń1
1Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Angiology and Physical Medicine,
Medical University of Silesia, Batorego 15, 41-902 Bytom, Poland
2Department of Biology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland
3Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland
2Department of Biology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland
3Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2010;19(1):167–175
KEYWORDS
cryogenic temperatureswhole-body cryotherapyInflammatory MarkersC-reactive proteinmucoproteinsoluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to estimate the influence of cryogenic temperatures used for whole-body
cryotherapy on inflammatory markers in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and healthy volunteers.
The study involved 32 male persons: 16 patients with AS and 16 healthy volunteers. All subjects were exposed
to a cycle of 10 daily procedures of whole-body cryotherapy at a temperature of -120°C lasting 2 minutes with
subsequent kinesitherapy. In both groups, before and after a cycle of whole-body cryotherapy with subsequent
kinesitherapy, serum C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, mucoprotein, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1
levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were estimated. The results of this study indicate that cryogenic temperatures
used for whole-body cryotherapy decrease the levels of inflammatory markers both in patients with
ankylosing spondylitis and healthy volunteers.