Effect of Whole-Body Cryotherapy on Morphological, Rheological and Biochemical Indices of Blood in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine and assess the impact of a series of 20 whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) treatments on the biochemical and rheological indices of blood in people with multiple sclerosis. In this prospective controlled study, the experimental group consisted of 15 women aged 34–55 (mean age, 41.53 ± 6.98 years) with diagnosed multiple sclerosis who underwent a series of whole-body cryotherapy treatments. The first control group consisted of 20 women with diagnosed multiple sclerosis. This group had no intervention in the form of whole-body cryotherapy. The second control group consisted of 15 women aged 30–49 years (mean age, 38.47 ± 6.0 years) without neurological diseases and other chronic diseases who also underwent the whole-body cryotherapy treatment. For the analysis of the blood indices, venous blood was taken twice (first, on the day of initiation of whole-body cryotherapy treatments and, second, after a series of 20 cryotherapy treatments). The blood counts were determined using an ABX MICROS 60 hematological analyzer (USA). The LORCA analyzer (Laser–Optical Rotational Cell Analyzer, RR Mechatronics, the Netherlands) was used to study the aggregation and deformability of erythrocytes. The total protein serum measurement was performed using a Cobas 6000 analyzer, Roche and a Proteinogram-Minicap Sebia analyzer. Fibrinogen determinations were made using a Bio-Ksel, Chrom-7 camera. Statistically significant differences and changes after WBC in the levels of red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), elongation index, total extend of aggregation (AMP), and proteins (including fibrinogen) were observed. However, there was no significant effect of a series of 20 WBC treatments on changes in blood counts, rheology, and biochemistry in women with multiple sclerosis. Our results show that the use of WBC has a positive effect on the rheological properties of the blood of healthy women.