Journal Article

Mountain spa rehabilitation improved health of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome: pilot study

López-Lluch, Guillermo, Gvozdjáková, Anna, Rausová, Zuzana, Navas, Plácido, Palacka, Patrik, Kovalčíková, Eleonóra, Mojto, Viliam, Sumbalová, Zuzana, Kucharská, Jarmila, Takácsová, Timea

2023

Overview

European Association of Spa Rehabilitation (ESPA) recommends spa rehabilitation for patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome. We tested the hypothesis that a high-altitude environment with clean air and targeted spa rehabilitation (MR — mountain spa rehabilitation) can contribute to the improving platelet mitochondrial bioenergetics, to accelerating patient health and to the reducing socioeconomic problems. Fifteen healthy volunteers and fourteen patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome were included in the study. All parameters were determined before MR (MR1) and 16–18 days after MR (MR2). Platelet mitochondrial respiration and OXPHOS were evaluated using high resolution respirometry method, coenzyme Q 10 level was determined by HPLC, and concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) as a parameter of lipid peroxidation was determined spectrophotometrically. This pilot study showed significant improvement of clinical symptoms, lungs function, and regeneration of reduced CI-linked platelet mitochondrial respiration after MR in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome. High-altitude environment with spa rehabilitation can be recommended for the acceleration of recovery of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
• Subject: air / altitude / Aquatic Pollution / Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution / COVID-19 / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecotoxicology / Energy Metabolism / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Health / Humans / lipid peroxidation / Mitochondria / patients / Pilot Projects / Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome / Research Article / Waste Water Technology / Water Management / Water Pollution Control