title: [Appendicular thermal therapy for heart failure].
abstract: We preliminarily assessed the utility of a steam foot bath in 4 male patients with dilated cardiomyopathy with refractory chronic congestive heart failure awaiting heart transplantation. Sublingual temperature significantly increased from 36.1 +/- 0.3 to 36.7 +/- 0.2 degrees C (p = 0.01). Blood pressure, heart rate and numbers of ventricular arrhythmia did not differ before and after two weeks of the therapy. Grade of mitral regurgitation tended to decrease (2.0 +/- 1.2 to 1.3 +/- 1.0, p = 0.06), and endothelial function measured by arterial tonometry significantly increased from 1.35 +/- 0.26 to 2.13 +/- 0.26 (p = 0.02). Thus, steam foot bath therapy may be safe and beneficial for the patients with endstage heart failure awaiting heart transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Medical Pharmacy, Hyogo University of Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Komamura
mesh_terms: D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D005528:Foot; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000503:physiopathology; D029002:Steam Bath