Association of Far-Infrared Radiation Therapy and Ankle-Brachial Index of Patients on Hemodialysis with Peripheral Artery Occlusive Disease

Far-infrared radiation and its therapeutic parameters: A superior alternative for future regenerative medicine?

In future regenerative medicine, far-infrared radiation (FIR) may be an essential component of optical therapy. Many studies have confirmed or validated the efficacy and safety of FIR in various diseases, benefiting from new insights into FIR mechanisms and the excellent performance of many applications. However, the lack of consensus on the biological effects and therapeutic parameters of FIR limits its practical applications in the clinic. In this review, the definition, characteristics, and underlying principles of the FIR are systematically illustrated. We outline the therapeutic parameters of FIR, including the wavelength range, power density, irradiation time, and distance. In addition, the biological effects, potential molecular mechanisms, and preclinical and clinical applications of FIR are discussed. Furthermore, the future development and applications of FIR are described in this review. By applying optimal therapeutic parameters, FIR can influence various cells, animal models, and patients, eliciting diverse underlying mechanisms and offering therapeutic potential for many diseases. FIR could represent a superior alternative with broad prospects for application in future regenerative medicine.

Does Far-Infrared Therapy Improve Peritoneal Function and Reduce Recurrent Peritonitis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients?

The use of peritoneal dialysis in end-stage renal disease is increasing in clinical practice. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of far-infrared radiation therapy on inflammation and the cellular immunity of patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis. We recruited 56 patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis, and we included 32 patients for the experimental group and 24 patients from the control group in the final analysis. The experimental evaluation in our study was as follows: (1) We used abdominal computed tomography to explore the changes in abdominal blood vessels. (2) We compared the effects of peritoneal dialysis using blood glucose, HbAlC, albumin, urea nitrogen, creatinine, white blood cells, hs-CRP; peritoneal Kt/V of peritoneal function, and eGFR. (3) We compared the cytokines’ concentrations in the two groups while controlling for the other cytokines. Results and Discussion: (1) There was no significant difference in the abdominal blood vessels of the experimental group relative to the control group according to abdominal CT over the 6 months. (2) Our study demonstrates statistically significant effects of FIR therapy on the following parameters: creatinine (p = 0.039 *) and hs-CRP (p < 0.001 **) levels decreased significantly, and eGFR (p = 0.043 *), glucose (p < 0.001 **), and albumin (p = 0.048 *) levels increased significantly. Our study found that in the experimental group, creatinine and hs-CRP levels decreased significantly due to FIR therapy for 6 months. However, our study also found that the glucose level was significantly different after FIR therapy for 6 months. Peritoneal dialysis combined with FIR can reduce the side effects of the glucose in the dialysis buffer, which interferes with peritoneal inflammation and peritoneal mesothelial cell fibrosis. (3) In addition, we also found that no statistically significant difference in any inflammatory cytokine after FIR therapy. IFN-γ (p = 0.124), IL-12p70 (p = 0.093), IL-18 (p = 0.213), and TNF-α (p = 0.254) did not exhibit significant improvements after peritoneal dialysis with FIR treatment over 6 months. Conclusions: We found that the effectiveness of peritoneal dialysis was improved significantly with FIR therapy, and significant improvements in the peritoneal permeability and inflammatory response were observed.

Germanium-Titanium-π Polymer Composites as Functional Textiles for Clinical Strategy to Evaluate Blood Circulation Improvement and Sexual Satisfaction

By continuously enhancing the blood flow, far-infrared (FIR) textile is anticipated to be a potential non-pharmacological therapy in patients with peripheral vascular disorders, for instance, patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and experiencing vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (VED). Hence, we manufactured a novel polymer composite, namely, germanium-titanium-π (Ge-Ti-π) textile and aimed to evaluate its characteristics and quality. We also investigated the immediate and long-term effects of the textile on patients with ESRD undergoing HD and experiencing VED. The Ge-Ti-π textile was found to have 0.93 FIR emissivity, 3.05 g/d strength, and 18.98% elongation. The results also showed a 51.6% bacteria reduction and negative fungal growth. On application in patients receiving HD, the Ge-Ti-π textile significantly reduced the limb numbness/pain (p < 0.001) and pain score on the visual analog scale (p < 0.001). Moreover, the Doppler ultrasound assessment data indicated a significant enhancement of blood flow in the right hand after 1 week of Ge-Ti-π textile treatment (p < 0.041). In VED patients, the Ge-Ti-π underpants treatment significantly improved the quality of sexual function and increased the average penile blood flow velocity after 3 months of the treatment. Our study suggests that the Ge-Ti-π textile could be beneficial for patients with blood circulation disorders.

The effectiveness of far-infrared irradiation on foot skin surface temperature and heart rate variability in healthy adults over 50 years of age: A randomized study

BACKGROUND

Far-infrared irradiation (FIR) is used in the medical field to improve wound healing, hemodialysis with peripheral artery occlusive disease, and osteoarthritis but seldom used in ameliorating poor lower extremity circulation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of FIR on changes in foot skin surface temperature (FSST) and autonomic nerve system (ANS) activity to evaluate its effectiveness in improving lower limb circulation.

METHODS

A randomized controlled study was conducted. Subjects (n = 44), all over the age of 50 years and satisfying the inclusion criteria, were randomly allocated into 2 groups. The intervention group received FIR on a lower limb for 40 minutes and the control group received no intervention. Left big toe (LBT), right big toe (RBT), left foot dorsal (LFD), right foot dorsal (RFD) surface skin temperature, autonomic nervous activity, and blood pressure were assessed.

RESULTS

The main results were skin surface temperature at the LBT increased from 30.8 ± 0.4°C to 34.8 ± 0.4°C, at RBT increased from 29.6 ± 0.4°C to 35.3 ± 0.4°C and LFD increased from 31.9 ± 0.3°C to 36.4 ± 0.4°C, RFD increased from 30.7 ± 0.3°C to 37.7 ± 0.2°C. FIR caused a significant increase of the FSST ranging in a 4°C to 7°C increase after 40 minutes irradiation (P < .001). The ANS low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) activity showed a statistically significant increase in the FIR group (P < .05) but not the LF/HF ratio.

CONCLUSION

FIR significantly increased the FSST from between 4°C and 7°C after 40 minutes irradiation, which might improve lower extremity circulation and regulation of ANS activity.