title: Effects of the sauna on diffusing capacity, pulmonary function and cardiac output in healthy subjects.
abstract: The present study examined possible short-term effects of the heat stress during sauna bathing on gas exchange, especially in correlation with changes in cardiac output. The results obtained are as follows: (1) The heat stress of sauna bathing caused a slight but not significant increase in diffusion capacity (p = 0.239) and no change in other pulmonary function parameters. (2) Cardiac output and cardiac index increased slightly but not significantly (p = 0.2455 and p = 0.2719). We conclude that heat stress in sauna neither influences gas exchange nor does it cause a significant increase in cardiac output.
authors.affiliation: Lungenabteilung, Krankenhaus der Stadt Wien-Lainz, Osterreich.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Popp
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zwick
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sertl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002302:Cardiac Output; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011653:Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity; D012016:Reference Values; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics; D029002:Steam Bath