title: Effect of a steam foot spa on geriatric inpatients with cognitive impairment: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether a steam foot spa improves cognitive impairment in geriatric inpatients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Geriatric inpatients with cognitive impairment were given a steam foot spa treatment at 42°C for 20 minutes for 2 weeks (5 days/week). Physiological indicators such as blood pressure, percutaneous oxygen saturation, pulse, tympanic temperature, and sleep time and efficiency were assessed. Cognitive function and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia were assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, Dementia Mood Assessment Scale, and Dementia Behavior Disturbance scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant decreases in systolic (P < 0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.05) along with a significant increase in tympanic temperature (P < 0.01) were observed after the steam foot spas. A significant improvement was seen in the Mini-Mental State Examination score (P < 0.01) and the overall dementia severity items in Dementia Mood Assessment Scale (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Japanese people are very fond of foot baths. However, it is difficult to understand why inpatients cannot receive steam foot baths. In this study, a control group was not used. Raters and enforcers were not blinded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this pilot study suggest that steam foot spas mitigate cognitive impairment in geriatric inpatients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Mihara, Japan. koike@pu-hiroshima.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001831:Body Temperature; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011674:Pulse; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013227:Steam; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013227:Steam
keywords: cognitive impairment; geriatric inpatients; steam foot spa; tympanic temperature