Repeated thermal therapy diminishes appetite loss and subjective complaints in mildly depressed patients.
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.
Masuda
Akinori
A
Psychosomatic Medicine, Respiratory and Stress Care center, Kagoshima University Hospital, Kagoshima City, Japan. masudaak@m.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
Nakazato
Masamitsu
M
Kihara
Takashi
T
Minagoe
Shinichi
S
Tei
Chuwa
C
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
D054439:Ghrelin; D036361:Peptide Hormones