Estimation of the Effect of the Course of Short-Term Sessions of Dry Immersion on Autonomic Regulation in Patients with Parkinsonism
This study was aimed at estimation of the effect of a course of seven short-term sessions of dry immersion on autonomic regulation in patients with parkinsonism. Seven patients with parkinsonism (5 men and 2 women at the age of 51–66 years, with the severity of the disease 1–3 on the H&Y scale) participated in the study. Analysis of time- and frequency-domains of heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure control was performed under conditions of a baseline test, during deep controlled breathing and orthostatic test before the course of dry immersion, immediately after the course, and two weeks later. HRV analysis showed a significant decrease in the reactivity of the autonomic nervous system, determined by low values of HRV time-domain parameters (SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, CV), as well as the total power spectrum, LF- and HF- its domains. A course of seven sessions of dry immersion caused a decrease in blood pressure, but did not exert a significant effect on HRV parameters at baseline test and during functional tests, which evidences the autonomic dysregulation in patients with parkinsonism. The reduced autonomic reactivity of patients with parkinsonism requires the careful enroll of subjects when using dry immersion for rehabilitation and also monitoring of the cardiovascular function during this procedure.