Evaluation of potassium monopersulfate footbath solution for controlling digital dermatitis in lactating dairy cattle. A randomized clinical trial

Our objective was to assess potassium monopersulfate as a disinfectant used in footbath to control digital dermatitis (DD) in dairy cows. We hypothesized that a potassium monopersulfate solution would control DD. A 180-day randomized negative controlled trial was conducted in a 265-Holstein free-stall facility. Throughout the trial, foot bathing was performed bi-weekly using a split (left vs. right feet) footbath: one tub filled with 1% potassium monopersulfate (treatment), the other with tap water (control). Digital dermatitis lesions were scored during trimming chute examinations of the unwashed hind heels every 90 days using the modified M-scoring system. Digital dermatitis lesions were re-categorized into four variables: 1) inactive; 2) active; 3) any; 4) inactive or absence of DD lesions. Three longitudinal outcomes were characterized: risks of 1) developing a DD lesion; 2) reactivating an inactive DD lesion; 3) development of an inactive or the absence of the DD lesion. A generalized linear model was used to compare the variables and longitudinal outcomes between treated and control groups. Prevalence of active DD lesions increased from 12.5% to 39.9% between days 0 and 90. This significant increase in prevalence justified the discontinuation of the study on day 90 for ethical reasons. There was no statistical difference between treated and control groups for the first outcome (RR: 1.0; 95% CI: 0.62, 1.7), the second outcome (RR: 1.0; 95% CI: 0.62,-1.7); or the third outcome (RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.37, 2.1). A 1% potassium monopersulfate footbath solution appears ineffective to control DD in this study.

Do ginger footbaths improve symptoms of insomnia more than footbaths with warm water only? - A randomized controlled study

OBJECTIVES

To compare the effects between warm water (WW) and ginger footbaths (WW+ginger) on sleep quality and warmth regulation in adults with self-reported insomnia symptoms.

METHODS

A prospective randomized-controlled study in which 28 participants (mean age 50.9 years, 64.3% women, insomnia symptom duration 11.4 years) were randomized to receive WW (n = 13) or WW+ginger (n = 15) daily for 2 weeks. Treatment involved nightly footbaths (12 liters of 38-42 °C warm tap water, maximum duration 20 min) with and without topical ginger (80 g of powdered ginger rhizomes).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome measure was self-reported sleep quality (global score from Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI) at 2 weeks. Secondary outcomes included measures of insomnia severity (Insomnia Severity Index, ISI) and warmth regulation (Herdecke Warmth Perception Questionnaire, HWPQ and 24-hour distal-proximal skin temperature gradient, DPG).

RESULTS

WW+ginger had no greater effect on PSQI (mean between-difference 0.0 [95% CI -3.0 to 2.9], Cohen's d=0.0) or ISI (-0.2 [-3.9 to 3.4], 0.0) than WW. Nor were there any significant differences in HWPQ perceived warmth (0.1 ≥d≥0.5) or DPG (0.1 ≥d≥0.4) between WW and WW+ginger. Both groups improved over time in PSQI (WW+ginger: d=0.7, WW: d=1.3) and ISI (WW+ginger: d=0.8, WW: d=1.0). Perceived warmth of the feet increased only in WW+ginger over time (d=0.6, WW: d=0.0).

CONCLUSIONS

This dose of ginger (6.67 g/liter) did not have greater effects on sleep quality, insomnia severity or warmth regulation than WW. Considering effect sizes, costs and risks, the use of WW would be recommended over WW+ginger in this patient population.

The Immediate Effect of Sinapis nigra and Zingiber officinale as Thermogenic Substances during Footbaths: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

OBJECTIVE

Warm footbaths infused with Sinapis nigra (mustard, or MU) or Zingiber officinale (ginger, or GI) are used for various thermoregulatory conditions, but little is known about how they are perceived by individuals, both short- and long-term. We analyzed the immediate and long-term effects of MU and GI on warmth and stimulus perception in healthy adults.

METHODS

Seventeen individuals (mean age 22.1±2.4 years; 11 female) received three footbaths (mean temperature was 40 ± 0.2°C, administered between 1:30 and 6:30 p.m.) in a randomized order with a crossover design: 1. with warm water only (WA), 2. with warm water and MU, and 3. with warm water and GI. Warmth and stimulus perception at the feet were assessed at the 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th minute of the footbaths, in the late evening (EVE), and the following morning (MG). We further assessed well-being (at EVE and MG) and sleep quality (at MG). The primary outcome measure was the warmth perception at the feet at the 10th minute of the footbath.

RESULTS

At the 10th minute of the footbath, warmth perception at the feet was significantly higher with MU and GI compared to WA. The immediate thermogenic effects pointed to a quick increase in warmth and stimulus perception with MU, a slower increase with GI, and a gradual decrease with WA. Regarding the long-term effects, warmth and stimulus perception were still higher after GI compared to WA at EVE and MG. No differences were seen for general well-being and sleep quality.

CONCLUSION

Thermogenic substances can significantly alter the dynamics of warmth and stimulus perception when added to footbaths. The different profiles in the application of GI and MU could be relevant for a more differentiated and specific use of both substances in different therapeutic indications.

Warm-water footbath improves dysmenorrhoea and heart rate variability in college students: a randomised controlled trial

The effect of warm-water footbath in improving dysmenorrhoea has been rarely investigated. The study aimed to examine whether a warm-water footbath effectively reduces dysmenorrhoea pain and improves the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. The randomised controlled trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. (NCT04071028) We enrolled college students with dysmenorrhoea in Northern Taiwan from December 1 2013 to June 30 2014, and randomised them into footbath (n = 35, median age 19 years) and control groups (n = 33, 18 years). Pain visual analogue scale and Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire were used for pain assessment, while heart rate variability (HRV) was measured to assess ANS function. After the interventions, the footbath group significantly improved ANS activity and reduced pain severity comparing to the control group. Furthermore, the changes in HRV positively correlated with the improvement of pain severity. In conclusion, a warm-water footbath is beneficial in improving the pain severity among college students with dysmenorrhoea.Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? Dysmenorrhoea is the most common gynaecological condition affecting 34-94% of young women. The existing conventional therapeutic strategies for dysmenorrhoea have potential adverse events. Among the complementary therapies for pain, the warm-water footbath is a widely used thermal therapy in improving peripheral neuropathy symptoms and improving patients' quality of life. The subjects with dysmenorrhoea associate with significantly altered autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. However, the association among warm-water footbath, menstrual pain and ANS was rarely investigated previously.What the results of this study add? The randomised controlled trial enrolling 68 college students with dysmenorrhoea found warm-water footbath improved ANS activity and reduced pain severity. Furthermore, the changes in heart rate variability positively correlated with pain severity improvement.What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? A warm-water footbath for 20 minutes on menstruation days 1 and 2 is beneficial in improving pain among college students with dysmenorrhoea.

The effect of footbath on the quality of sleep in older adults: A pilot study

This pilot study was a randomized controlled trial that aimed to investigate the effect of the warm footbath on the sleep quality of Iranian older adults. Males and females aged over 60 were randomly divided into three groups (footbath group with water at 40°C, footbath group with water at 37°C, and one control group) using the permutation block method. Repeated measures design was used to compare the groups after week two and week four to study the effects of footbath on sleep quality. Footbath with water at 40°C and 37°C caused significant improvement in the participants' sleep quality. No significant difference was found between the participants' sleep quality treated with water at 40°C and 37°C. Future studies with larger samples are recommended for assessing the effectiveness of warm footbath in enhancing sleep quality in older adults.

Effect of footbath protocols for prevention and treatment of digital dermatitis in dairy cattle: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Digital dermatitis (DD) is an infectious bacterial disease affecting cattle feet. Footbaths are a common herd-level control method for DD; however, variations in product, concentration, and frequency of use complicate comparisons between protocols. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate all walk-through footbath protocols reported that determined efficacy for prevention and treatment of DD lesions in dairy cattle. An extensive literature search was conducted, including electronic databases and gray literature updated until March 2018. Studies identified included all liquid walk-through footbath protocols that were compared to other footbath protocols or no footbath. Only studies with treatment or prevention of DD lesions as an outcome were included. Literature search and subsequent screening identified 14 publications with 24 treatment comparisons and 24 prevention comparisons. Studies included mostly had low and/or unclear risks of bias. Descriptive analyses were performed according to prevention and treatment outcomes, with case and success definitions summarized as odds ratios (OR). A subsequent network meta-analysis was conducted of 11 studies, comparing 17 protocol comparisons for the prevention outcome and 10 studies comparing 19 protocol comparisons for the treatment outcome, using semi-informative priors in a Bayesian statistical framework. Results of a random effects Bayesian network meta-analysis indicated only 5% copper sulfate used at least 4 times/wk was superior to both no footbath (OR: 5.26; 95% CrI: 1.27-28.8) and a water placebo (OR: 9.47; 95% CrI: 1.03-85.8) in treatment of DD. No other protocol was associated with a reduction in DD, and there were no differences in pair-wise comparisons between any active treatments. Unfortunately, for both outcomes (treatment and prevention), small sample sizes (adjusted for clustering) limited the power to detect substantial differences between protocol effects. Thus, despite widespread use of footbaths, limited strength of evidence for use remains and standardized protocols with large sample sizes are needed to further investigate effectiveness of footbath protocols for control of DD. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

The effect of footbath on sleep quality of the elderly: a blinded randomized clinical trial

INTRODUCTION

The progressive increase in the elderly population of developing countries has drawn attention to their health. Sleep Pattern and quality can affect life quality in old people. We need more documents about footbath (a non-invasive method). The purpose of this research was to examine footbath on sleep quality of the elderly.

METHODS

This study is a blinded, randomized, clinical trial on 46 old men that had health documents in health center, 2013. Participants in the research were divided into two groups. One group had footbath (experimental group) and another group did not have footbath (control group). The experimental group participants were asked to put their feet in warm water (41-42 ºC) for 20 minutes before sleeping for 6 weeks. The co-researcher completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) before and after the intervention by individual interview. Data were analyzed by SPSS software.

RESULTS

The comparison of changes in sleep quality score the old men showed the sleep duration and total sleep quality has significantly improved in the experimental group.

CONCLUSION

According to the study results, the maximum effect of footbath was on sleep latency and sleep duration disturbances. In this study, the researchers had limited access to the elderly in Tabriz; therefore, it is recommended that future research be conducted in a higher number of health centers.

Exposure of farm laborers and dairy cattle to formaldehyde from footbath use at a dairy farm in New York State

Formalin footbaths are commonly used in the dairy industry to prevent cattle hoof diseases. Although formalin is a well-documented disinfectant, it is also a carcinogen and irritant. The aim of this study was to estimate the exposure of farm workers and dairy cattle to formaldehyde from footbaths located in a milking facility and a heifer facility at a dairy farm in western New York, USA. The dairy farm included approximately 3900 dairy cattle including young stock; of these, 1670 cows were milked three times per day in a 60-stall carousel milking parlor, and approximately 800 heifers were located at the heifer facility where footbaths with formalin were in use. The formaldehyde concentration of the air was measured using a Formaldemeter™ htV approximately 50cm above the 3% formalin footbaths in the milking (one footbath location) and heifer (three footbath locations) facilities on three consecutive days. The measured formaldehyde concentrations varied between 0.00 and 2.28ppm, falling within the safety guidelines established by the Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the United States. Significant differences were found in the formaldehyde concentrations at the different footbath locations in the heifer facility, potentially due to the varying levels of ventilation at each location. Changes in the ambient temperature during the 3-day sampling period did not significantly affect the concentrations. We believe that the substantial ventilation at both the heifer and milking facilities ensured that the formaldehyde concentrations did not exceed OSHA guidelines, thus permitting the safe use of formalin footbaths in this farm.