title: Repeated thermal therapy diminishes appetite loss and subjective complaints in mildly depressed patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We observed that repeated thermal therapy improved appetite loss and general well-being in patients with chronic heart failure. The purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of repeated thermal therapy in mildly depressed patients with appetite loss and subjective complaints.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight mildly depressed inpatients with general fatigue, appetite loss, and somatic and mental complaints were randomly assigned to thermal therapy group (n = 14) or nonthermal therapy group (n = 14). Patients in the thermal therapy group were treated with 60 degrees C far-infrared ray dry sauna for 15 minutes and were then kept at bed rest with a blanket for 30 minutes once a day, 5 days a week for a total of 20 sessions in 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four weeks after admission, somatic complaints, hunger, and relaxation scores significantly improved (p < .001, p < .0001, p < .0001, respectively) and mental complaints slightly improved (p = .054) in the thermal therapy group compared with the nonthermal therapy group. Furthermore, the plasma ghrelin concentrations and daily caloric intake in the thermal therapy group significantly increased compared with the nonthermal therapy group (p < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that repeated thermal therapy may be useful for mildly depressed patients with appetite loss and subjective complaints.
authors.affiliation: Psychosomatic Medicine, Respiratory and Stress Care center, Kagoshima University Hospital, Kagoshima City, Japan. masudaak@m.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akinori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakazato
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kihara
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minagoe
authors.forename: Chuwa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D054439:Ghrelin; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036361:Peptide Hormones / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones