Skin rubdown with a dry towel activates natural killer cells in bedridden old patients.
BACKGROUND
Skin rubdown using a dry towel to scrub the whole body is a traditional procedure. Because massage therapy is effective in improving cellular immunity, skin rubdown may also have the similar effects.


METHODS
Sixteen bedridden old patients, who had suffered a cerebral stroke, were studied. Skin rubdown for about 10 minutes was added for 10 days. Blood was collected at noon on the day before skin rubdown, 5 and 10 days after initiation and 5 days after completion, and the neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, serum gamma-globulin and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and natural killer cell activity were measured. In 9 of these 16 patients, B, T, CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte counts were additionally measured on the same days.


RESULTS
There were no significant changes in the time course of the lymphocyte count, gamma-globulin or CRP levels. The neutrophil count increased 10 days after initiation of the skin rubdown, and natural killer cell activity increased 5 and 10 days after initiation, and returned to the baseline level 5 days after completion. Although there were no changes in the time course of the B, T, CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte counts, the CD4/CD8 ratio showed an increase 5 days after initiation and completion.


CONCLUSIONS
Skin rubdown activates natural killer cells, which may be attributed to the effect of certain mediators released from the T lymphocytes and/or the stimulated effect on the sympathetic nerves. This technique may be used to reduce a variety of complications caused by the decreased immunity observed in bedridden old patients.
Iwama
Hiroshi
H
Department of Anaesthesiology, Central Aizu General Hospital, Aizuwakamatsu, Japan. iwama@onchikai.jp
Akama
Yoichi
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization / Q000502:physiology*; D007107:Immune System; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
D002097:C-Reactive Protein