Cryochamber safety – effects of a single session on ECG-derived parameters

Introduction
Cryotherapy is a therapeutic method used to reduce pain associated with, among others, injuries and inflammation by both young athletes and the elderly.

Aim of the research
To investigate the effect of a single cryochamber session on basic ECG-derived parameters in adult non-athletes.

Material and methods
 hundred and eight participants without significant cardiac disorders were included in the study. A single session in the cryochamber lasted for 3 min, and the temperature within the appropriate chamber ranged from –150°C to –160°C. When in the cryochamber, each participant wore a tank top, shorts, a surgical mask, a cap, woollen gloves, socks, and wooden clogs. ECG parameters, as well as systolic and diastolic blood pressure were recorded both before and immediately after the cryochamber session. Moreover, vectorcardiographic parameters were generated according to the inverse Dower matrix.

Results
The study was performed on 72 females and 36 males with an average age of 50 years; no significant differences were demonstrated between these groups. We observed a statistically significant decrease in the heart rate and QTc interval after the cryochamber session, as well as a minor increase of QRS interval following the cryochamber session. No changes in the spatial QRS-T angle were observed.

Conclusions
Based on the collected results, whole-body cryotherapy in a cryochamber seems to be a harmless additional treatment for non-athlete adults without known contraindications for such therapy. Long-term prospective studies are necessary to confirm these results and to prove the safety of cryochambers on a larger group of subjects.