[Physical therapy in gastroenterology]. / Physiotherapie in der Gastroenterologie.

During the last 30 years physiotherapy increased in size and value, is integrated into nearly all subjects of medicine and has its justification and significance like pharmacotherapy. The use of physiotherapy in gastroenterological diseases has in most cases empirical character, though increasingly objectifiable modes of action are proved. Of the massage treatment predominantly the segmental massage, the massages of the connective tissue and the treatment of the colon are therapeutically effective in gastroenterology. Electrotherapeutically, ultrasound and infrared may be used. The field of therapy for short-wave and exciting current is narrowed in gastroenterological diseases. Good results of treatment are obtained with peloid packs, which, however, above all are yielded in the health-resort. In chronic gastroenterological diseases more attention should be paid to kinetotherapy and it should more frequently be used. It not anyway acts only on the locomotor system, but always on the general organism, especially on the vegetative functional system and should be prescribed particularly in rehabilitation after a long stay in sick-bed. In its variety the group therapy concerns the general organism physically and psychically and has above all a vegetative regulation effect.

[Age dependent frequency of cytoplasmic antibodies]. / Zur Haüfigkeit zytoplasmatischer Antikorper in Abhangigkeit vom Lebensalter

In a random sample of so-called healthy blood donors under and over 60 years of age (n=196 of 10,593 donations by about 4254 donors) the frequency of antibodies (antibodies against smooth muscles, mitochondria, microsomes, brush border of proximal rat renal tubuli, connective tissue, and parietal cells) detectable by immuno-fluorescence was determined and compared with the incidence thereof in various groups of diseases. In general, two frequency peaks (up to 30 and over 50 years of age) were observed; however, statistical evidence was obtained for the second peak only (with p less than 0.001). In "healthy" blood donors past 60 there was observed a significantly higher frequency of occurrence of antibodies against parietal cells (p less than 0.001) and against connective tissue (p less than 0.01). An attempt has been made to classify antibodies into four groups depending upon age disease, with due consideration being given to the different clinical valency of antibodies. Different frequencies of occurrence of numerous antibodies are believed to be due not only to immune system aging, but especially to the not-yet elucidated disturbance of regulation of autotolerance by alteration of immune cells, which is subject to endogenous (e.g., genetic) and exogenous (e.g. viral) factors that are dependent on age rather than aging.