Radon progeny activity in sweat following radon exposure in a warm and humid environment

The objective was to evaluate whether activity of radon progenies can be de tected in sweat following speleotherapeutic radon exposure (40 kBq/m(3)) in a warm (38 degrees C) and humid (relative humidity >70%) environment. A gr oup of 11 male patients with spondyloarthropathy (n=6) or non-inflammatory rheumatic diseases (n=5) underwent a 1-h treatment in the gallery of the Ga steiner Heilstollen, and 20 min after leaving the treatment area radon prog eny activity was measured in sweat by utilizing a special filter set. The r esults suggest that radon is discharged with sweat, causing a significant a ctivity of radon and radon progenies on the skin. This finding may be impor tant from a clinical point of view, since specialists experienced in radon therapy have repeatedly emphasized the importance of the degree of radioact ivity on the skin for the effectiveness of treatment. It has even been clai med that the skin is the major target for radon therapy, possibly because o f the influence on Langerhans' cell function.