[Comparative study on the effect of diet, exercise and iodine balneotherapy on blood rheologic parameters in diabetics within the scope of a 4 week health resort stay in Bad Hall].

A total of 123 spa patients with inadequately controlled diabetes mellitus was divided into the following 3 therapeutic groups: 1. therapeutic exercise alone, 2. iodine therapy with iodine brine (including drinking cure with "iodine-brine concentrate"), 3. remedial exercise plus iodine brine therapy. All patients received a rigidly controlled diabetic diet. The following parameters were determined at the beginning and at the end of the cure: whole blood and plasma viscosity, fibrinogen, blood glucose, total and HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, HbA1c, alpha 2-macroglobulin, total protein, microhaematocrit. A significant improvement was found in the values of whole blood viscosity, cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose, indicative of a beneficial effect on metabolism, primarily due to the administered diet. The largest decreases were shown by blood viscosity, relative viscosity, triglycerides, cholesterol and HbA1c in group III, and by plasma viscosity in group II. alpha 2-Macroglobulins did not change. Fibrinogen was raised in groups I and III. The importance of the improved blood rheological properties is discussed, particularly with respect to reduced erythrocyte flexibility in diabetics.