RESUMEN
The effect of mild hyperthermia on venous blood pH was examined in 6 cancer patients. Mild hyperthermia was induced by continuation of a rectal temperature of 39.5 degrees C for 30 min. All 6 patients were diagnosed as suffering from advanced cancer with or without surgery and chemotherapy pretreatments. In Cases 1 to 5, but not Case 6, venous blood pH was alkalized up to pH 7.7 by this mild hyperthermia and the effect was reproduced depending on the application of hyperthermia. At this time, alkalized pH was accompanied by increased PO2 and decreased PCO2 in the blood. These patients showed good physical conditions and improved clinical data. On the other hand, hyperthermia could not be continued in Case 6 due to his worsened physical condition. The present data suggest that mild hyperthermia is a useful method to improve circulation failure, physical condition and clinical data.
Asunto(s)
Dióxido de Carbono/sangre , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , Hipertermia Inducida , Neoplasias/sangre , Neoplasias/terapia , Oxígeno/sangre , Adulto , Anciano , Análisis de los Gases de la Sangre , Supervivencia sin Enfermedad , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
Since high levels of hyperthermia induce immunosuppression to a certain extent (i.e., granulocytosis and lymphocytopenia) in patients, we applied mild hyperthermia in volunteers using equipment enabling well-controlled hyperthermia. Restricted control of rectal temperature at 39.4 (+/- 0.2) degrees C for 30 min was conducted and various parameters of the body were examined. The most prominent change observed during exposure to hyperthermia was elevated levels of pH and PO(2) in the blood, even in the venous blood. A transient elevation of ACTH, cortisol and growth hormone in the blood was also seen during this time. In parallel with this phenomenon, the number of total lymphocytes and those of its subsets (especially CD57(+) or CD56(+) NK cells and NKT cells) increased. More interestingly, the proportion of HLA-DR (MHC class II antigens) increased in NK and NKT cells, and their intensity on the surface of CD20(+) B cells increased. These results suggest that mild hyperthermia is important for modulation of the functions of the circulatory, endocrine and immune systems.