A Clinical Survey on Bathers of so called “Radon Centers”
10.11390/onki1962.44.117
- VernacularTitle:いわゆるラドンセンター入浴者の実態調査成績
- Author:
Hiroshi KITAGAWA
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:The Journal of The Japanese Society of Balneology, Climatology and Physical Medicine
1981;44(3-4):117-127
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
Since 1974 facilities such as so called “Radon Center” have been established one after another and widespreadly used in Japan. But until now no definite scientific data were available concerning their beneficial or injurious effect on health or diseased state. Therefore following surveys were carried out on bathers (female 25 cases, male 25 cases) of so called Radon Centers.
Radon concentration of bath water was about 0.1 Mache u. The water temperature was between 35°C and 41°C. The duration of bath was between 10 and 15 minutes. Including the bathing time, time of stay in the bathroom was about 20 minutes in total. The bathroom was made airtight and the air was circulated. Atmospheric Radon concentration of the bathroom was mostly between 2 and 3 Mache u. (1-4 Mache u. occasionally). Measurement of blood pressure was done before and after bath. Blood count, urinalysis, and blood chemistry examination were carried out before, 2 weeks, 7 weeks, and 8 weeks after serial baths. Laboratory examinations were as follows: Urinalysis (glucose, protein, occult blood, and urobilinogen), blood count (hemoglobin, erythrocyte count, leucocyte count, and hematocrit), chemical analysis of serum (GLT, GPT, LDH, alk. p., total bilirubin, creatinine, urate, urea N, total cholesterol, anorg. P., Ca, total protein). Furthermore CRP, RA test, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were investigated on the patients of arthritis. Subjective complaints such as backache, joint pain, and neuralgia were improved in 19 cases (38%) out of 50 cases.
There were no definite changes in blood pressure including 5 cases of hypertension. Glucosuria (3 cases) showed no change. Improvement in CRP test was proved in half of the 12 cases. But majority of arthritic patients have been treated by drugs simultaneously. No significant effect was observed on hemotopoietic organs as shown by blood count. From urinalysis and blood chemistry examination, no injurious influence of “Radon bath” on renal function was recognized. Liver function tests with exception of alkaline phosphatase (Al-Pace) showed no definite change. The Al-Pase activity elevated after 2 weeks of serial baths in 28 cases, including a slight increase. But the elevated Al-Pace levels showed rather a recovery after continuing the serial baths through 4 to 8 weeks. To further clarify the cause of elevation in Al-Pase activity, isozyme pattern was investigated in 12 cases with abnormal Al-Pase activity. Al-P5 was proved in 8 cases and Al-P- appeared in 2 cases, which would not be found normally. No control study using plain water bath was carried out in this survey. Further test subjects had variable disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, senile osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, etc. Therefore no definite relationship between weak Radon bath and Al-Pase elevation was established by this survey and further investigation will be necessary to draw final conclusion.
