title: A warm footbath improves coronary flow reserve in patients with mild-to-moderate coronary artery disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have shown that thermal therapy by means of warm waterbaths and sauna has beneficial effects in chronic heart failure. However, a comprehensive investigation of the hemodynamic effects of thermal vasodilation on coronary arteries has not been previously undertaken. In this study, we studied the effect of a warm footbath (WFB) on coronary arteries in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as any adverse effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 21 patients (33.3% men, mean age 60.8 ± 13.5 years) with CAD. Coronary flow Doppler examination of the left anterior descending coronary artery and coronary flow reserve (CFR) were performed and measured using adenosine before and after a WFB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate did not change with the WFB. Mean velocity of diastolic coronary flow significantly increased (diastolic mean flow velocity: 18.3 ± 7.1 cm/sec initial, 21.5 ± 8.0 cm/sec follow-up, P = 0.002) and CFR significantly improved (1.6 ± 0.4 vs. 2.2 ± 0.5, P < 0.001) after WFB. The WFB was well accepted and no relevant adverse effects were observed. The change of CFR after WFB correlated well with diastolic function (E', r = 0.51, P = 0.031; E/E', r =-0.675, P = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A WFB significantly improved CFR without any adverse effects in patients with mild-to-moderate CAD and can be applied with little risk of a coronary artery event if appropriately performed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, National Health Insurance Corporation Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Se-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Jong-Kwan
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seungjin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Dong Woon
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Joo Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Suk-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Min-Sub
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Yoon-Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Se-Joong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rim
authors.forename: Ho-Joong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Youn
mesh_terms: D001494:Baths; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000503:physiopathology*; D053805:Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography