Studies on the application of dynamic surface tensiometry of serum and cerebrospinal liquid for diagnostics and monitoring of treatment in patients who have rheumatic, neurological or oncological diseases

Human biological liquids comprise various surfactants, which adsorb at liqu id interfaces and lead to a variation in surface tension. The adsorption pr ocesses involving low molecular weight surfactants, proteins and phospholip ids play a vital role in the physiological functions of the human organism, especially if large surfaces are involved (e.g., gas exchange in lungs, me tabolism of kidneys, liver and brain). Dynamic surface tensiometric studies of biological Liquids like serum and cerebrospinal fluid provide surrogate parameters that reflect surface tension phenomena. We provide dynamic surf ace tension data of serum and cerebrospinal fluid that were collected from healthy volunteers and patients with rheumatic, neurological or oncological diseases. Our studies indicate that dynamic surface tension data are helpf ul for diagnostic purposes and for monitoring of therapeutic interventions. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.