Thermal therapy improves left ventricular diastolic function in patients with congestive heart failure: a tissue doppler echocardiographic study.

OBJECTIVES

We previously reported that systemic thermal therapy using 60 degrees C dry sauna improves left ventricular systolic function and clinical symptoms in patients with chronic heart failure. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of thermal therapy on left ventricular diastolic function.

METHODS

We examined transmitral inflow and mitral annular velocity before and after sauna in 10 patients with congestive heart failure using pulsed and tissue Doppler echocardiography.

RESULTS

Left ventricular and left atrial dimensions and left ventricular percentage fractional shortening did not change after sauna. Early diastolic mitral inflow velocity (E) increased and the deceleration time of the E wave decreased significantly after sauna compared to before sauna. Early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E') significantly increased after sauna. The deceleration time of E' significantly decreased after sauna compared to before sauna. The E/E' significantly decreased 30 min after sauna.

CONCLUSIONS

Thermal therapy improves acute left ventricular diastolic function in patients with congestive heart failure.