[Adaptation reaction to the health resort treatment in patients with diabetes mellitus].

Physical, clinical, biochemical, and functional examinations have been carried out in 70% of patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 treated in health resorts. Patients were treated with diet, drugs, and physiotherapy during a 3-5-week period. It was found, that the whole period of the treatment may be divided into 3 subperiods: period I is characterized by the subjective symptoms produced by the process of adaptation to different environment. This period lasts for 4 days, on average. Periods II and III are characterized by the set of symptoms reflecting a sum of therapeutical physical stimuli. Such symptoms are known in the literature as bath- or spa-reaction. Symptoms of spa-reaction were noted in about 50% of the examined patients. In 21% of them late reaction, i.e. after about 3 weeks, was seen. No worsening of diabetes mellitus was observed during spa-reaction. No correlation between the onset of this reaction and duration of the disease as well as the results of therapy was found. However, spa-reaction was more frequent in the elderly. Period III was followed by the decrease of the symptoms of spa-reaction with marked improvement in glycaemia. Authors' observations lead to some practical conclusions concerning the programs of physiotherapy in dependence on the course of patients' adaptation to the spa. Regulations concerning the routine 24-day treatment period of all patients in health resorts should be revised.