Efficacy and safety of thermal vasodilation therapy by sauna in infants with severe congestive heart failure secondary to ventricular septal defect

Sweating as a Preventive Care and Treatment Strategy in Traditional Persian Medicine

Proper and regular sweating plays a significant thermoregulatory role. It is a common perception that, sweating has other important homeostatic functions such as clearance of excessive micronutrients, waste products of metabolic processes, and toxins from the body, which helps to maintain human good health. In addition, sweating, thermotherapy, and sauna are commonly used to treat various diseases such as cardiovascular, respiratory and joint diseases. In traditional Persian medicine (PM) textbooks, sweating is considered a preventive care and treatment strategy as well. In this study, we aim to explain the beneficial effects of sweating in human health and its role in the management of various diseases, as well as introducing the therapeutic applications of some diaphoretic plants from the viewpoint of PM. We reviewed the most famous PM textbooks such as Kamil al-Sinaa al-Tibbiya, Al-Qānūn fī al-Tibb, Zakhireye Kharazmshahi, Kholasat al-Hikmat, Exir-e-Azam, and Hifzos-sihhat-e Naseri. Also, current evidence was searched in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and other relevant databases related to the topic. The results of this study revealed that PM scientists believed proper sweating removes waste products and maintains the body’s health, thus, any disturbances in the excretion of these waste products can cause diseases. They recommended the induction of sweating through hot and dry baths, sun bath, sand bath and also the use of diaphoretic herbs for the management of various diseases. Therefore, further researches are recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of these diaphoretic plants.

Can heat therapy help patients with heart failure?

To review and analyze the clinical outcomes of thermal therapy (≤1.4°C increase in core body temperature) in patients with heart failure (HF). A systematic review and meta-analysis regarding the effects of thermal therapy on HF was done by searching PubMed, Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, Scopus, and internal databases up to date (2019). Improvement in the New York Heart Association (NYHA) class: Ten studies with 310 patients showed significant improvement in NYHA class. Only 7 among 40 patients remained in Class IV and 99 patients in Class III from 155 patients. Increased patients in lower classes indicate that more patients showed improvement. Sixteen studies on 506 patients showed an overall improvement of 4.4% of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Four studies reported improved endothelial dysfunction by 1.7% increase in flow-mediated dilation (FMD) on 130 patients. Reduction in blood pressure: Thermal therapy reduced both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure by 3.1% and 5.31%, respectively, in 431 patients of 15 studies. Decrease in cardiothoracic ratio (CTR): Eight studies reported an average of 5.55% reduction of CTR in a total of 347 patients. Improvement in oxidative stress markers: Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels significantly decreased (mean difference of 14.8 pg/dL) in 303 patients of 9 studies. Improvement of quality of life: Among 65 patients, thermal therapy reduced cardiac death and rehospitalization by 31.3%. A slight increase in core body temperature is a promising, noninvasive, effective, and complementary therapy for patients with HF. Further clinical studies are recommended.

Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review

Introduction

Many health benefits are claimed by individuals and facilities promoting sauna bathing; however the medical evidence to support these claims is not well established. This paper aims to systematically review recent research on the effects of repeated dry sauna interventions on human health.

Methods

A systematic search was made of medical databases for studies reporting on the health effects of regular dry sauna bathing on humans from 2000 onwards. Risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines.

Results

Forty clinical studies involving a total of 3855 participants met the inclusion criteria. Only 13 studies were randomized controlled trials and most studies were small (n < 40). Reported outcome measures were heterogeneous with most studies reporting beneficial health effects. Only one small study (n = 10) reported an adverse health outcome of disrupted male spermatogenesis, demonstrated to be reversible when ceasing sauna activity.

Conclusions

Regular dry sauna bathing has potential health benefits. More data of higher quality is needed on the frequency and extent of adverse side effects. Further study is also needed to determine the optimal frequency and duration of distinct types of sauna bathing for targeted health effects and the specific clinical populations who are most likely to benefit.

The effects of repeated thermal therapy on quality of life in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVES

Decreased quality of life in diabetes is associated with poor health outcomes. Far-infrared sauna treatments improve the quality of life for those with chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, and congestive heart failure. The objective of this study is to determine whether far-infrared saunas have a beneficial effect on quality of life in those with type II diabetes.

DESIGN

This was a sequential, longitudinal, interrupted time series design study.

SETTING/LOCATION

The setting was Fraser Lake BC, a rural village in central British Columbia, Canada.

SUBJECTS

All patients of the Fraser Lake Community Health Center with type II diabetes were invited to participate in this study.

INTERVENTIONS

The study consisted of 20-minute, 3 times weekly infrared sauna sessions, over a period of 3 months.

OUTCOME MEASURES

To assess quality of life, subjects completed the 36-item Short-form Health Survey Version 2 (SF-36v2) questionnaire as well as "Zero-to-Ten" Visual Analogue Scales. Baseline study parameters were measured within 1 week prior to commencing sauna sessions. Postintervention measurements were collected between 1 and 3 days after the last sauna session.

RESULTS

Physical health, general health, and social functioning indices of the SF-36v2 improved. Visual Analogue Scales for stress and fatigue improved.

CONCLUSIONS

Far-infrared sauna use maybe associated with improved quality of life in people with type II diabetes mellitus. Uptake of infrared saunas use is greater than the uptake of other lifestyle interventions.

Health effects and risks of sauna bathing

OBJECTIVES

To study physiological, therapeutic and adverse effects of sauna bathing with special reference to chronic diseases, medication and special situations (pregnancy, children).

STUDY DESIGN

A literature review.

METHODS

Experiments of sauna bathing were accepted if they were conducted in a heated room with sufficient heat (80 to 90 degrees C), comfortable air humidity and adequate ventilation. The sauna exposure for five to 20 minutes was usually repeated one to three times. The experiments were either acute (one day), or conducted over a longer period (several months).

RESULTS

The research data retrieved were most often based on uncontrolled research designs with subjects accustomed to bathing since childhood. Sauna was well tolerated and posed no health risks to healthy people from childhood to old age. Baths did not appear to be particularly risky to patients with hypertension, coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure, when they were medicated and in a stable condition. Excepting toxemia cases, no adverse effects of bathing during pregnancy were found, and baths were not teratogenic. In musculoskeletal disorders, baths may relieve pain. Medication in general was of no concern during a bath, apart from antihypertensive medication, which may predispose to orthostatic hypotension after bathing.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is needed with sound experimental design, and with subjects not accustomed to sauna, before sauna bathing can routinely be used as a non-pharmacological treatment regimen in certain medical disorders to relieve symptoms and improve wellness.

Efeitos da sauna sobre doenças cardiovasculares e doenças relacionadas com o estilo de vida

Freqüentar a sauna é uma prática popular de jovens, adultos e idosos saudáveis. Os médicos do esporte são, com freqüência, solicitados a opinar sobre o impacto da sauna nas doenças e na saúde de modo geral. A sauna pode ser benéfica ou maléfica, dependendo do uso que fazemos dela. Nos últimos anos, a sauna está sendo considerada benéfica para os portadores de doenças cardiovasculares como a insuficiência cardíaca e doenças relacionadas com o estilo de vida, principalmente por melhorar a função endotelial periférica, via aumento do débito cardíaco e vasodilatação periférica. A disfunção endotelial está presente em quase todas as doenças cardiovasculares. O presente artigo pretende fazer uma revisão sobre os efeitos da sauna sobre o sistema cardiovascular em indivíduos saudáveis e em determinadas doenças cardiovasculares.