Michihito Igaki

Application of heat- and steam-generating sheets to the lumbar or abdominal region affects autonomic nerve activity.

Effects of applying a heat- and steam-generating (HSG) sheet on peripheral hemodynamics and autonomic nerve activity were examined. An HSG sheet was applied to the lumbar or abdominal region. Measurements included skin temperature at the lumbar and abdominal regions and the fingertip, total hemoglobin, tissue oxygen saturation ratio (StO2), pupillary light reflex, changes in ECG R-R interval blood pressure and percutaneous electrogastrography (EGG). A heat-generating sheet without steam was used as the control. Based on the present findings, application of the HSG sheet to the lumbar or abdominal region may improve peripheral hemodynamics and inhibit sympathetic nerve activity, resulting in parasympathetic nerve activity dominance.

Application of a Heat- and Steam-Generating Sheet Increases Peripheral Blood Flow and Induces Parasympathetic Predominance

To promote the practical application of a Japanese traditional medical treatment, such as hot compresses, we developed a plaster-type warming device consisting of a heat- and steam-generating sheet (HSG sheet). First, we tested its effects when applied to the anterior abdominal wall or lumbar region of women complaining of a tendency towards constipation. Application of the sheet to either region produced a feeling of comfort in the abdomen, as assessed by a survey of the subjects. The significant increases in the total hemoglobin observed in these regions suggested an increase in peripheral blood flow, and significant increases in the HF component on ECG and in the amplitude of gastric motility suggested parasympathetic predominance. We concluded that application of the HSG sheet improves the peripheral hemodynamics and autonomic regulation, induces a feeling of comfort in the abdomen, and provides a beneficial environment for the improvement of gastrointestinal movements.

Effects of Catechin-Ingestion and Heat Stress on the Maximum IsometricForce in Knee Extension, the Volume of Quadriceps Muscle, and Serum Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances Level in Healthy Elderly Women

Background: Sarcopenia, is a major concern for our aged society because sarcopenia is a fundamental cause of frailty and functional disability. Aim: The effects of catechin-ingestionp and/or heat treatment on the volume in quadriceps muscles, isometric force of knee extension, and serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were investigated in healthy elderly women. Methods: Subjects (71.0 ± 0.7 years old, n=27) were divided into 3 groups; 1) catechin-ingested, 2) heatstressed, and 3) catechin-ingestion with heat stressed (catechin+heat) groups. Subjects in both catechin-ingested and catechin+heat groups daily ingested 350 ml of green tea containing 540 mg of catechin in one hour for 10 weeks. Heat stress was applied on the quadriceps muscles for 8 hours a day and 4 days a week by using two heat- and steam generating sheets. Results: In catechin+heat group, muscle volume (Pre: 670 ± 38.7 cm2, Post: 676 ± 37.2 cm2) and maximal isometric force (Pre: 25.8 ± 2.5 kg, Post: 27.0 ± 2.5 kg) were significantly increased by the 10-week of treatment (p<0.05), but not in catechin-ingested and heat-stressed groups. The time of Timed-Get-Up-and-Go test (TUG), which is widely used to measure sit-to-stand performance, in both catechin-ingested (Pre: 6.70 ± 0.33 s and Post: 6.19 ± 0.28 s) and catechin+heat (Pre: 6.49 ± 0.30 s and Post: 5.95 ± 0.24 s) groups in catechin-ingested group; was significantly shortened by the treatment (p<0.05). Following 10-week of the treatment, serum TBARS levels in both catechin ingested (Pre: 29.06 ± 1.32 nmol/ml, Post: 24.47 ± 2.30 nmol/ml) and catechin+heat (Pre: 29.84 ± 1.57 nmol/ml, Post: 23.92 ± 0.98 nmol/ml) groups were significantly decreased (p<0.05), but not in heat group. Conclusions: Evidences suggest that catechin-ingestion with heat stress might improve impaired muscle function of elderly women.

Effects of a warm compress containing menthol on the tear film in healthy subjects and dry eye patients

Menthol is thought to stimulate lacrimation via activation of cold-sensitive primary afferent neurons in the cornea. We evaluated a warm compress containing menthol as a potential treatment for dry eye by examining its effects on the tear film in healthy subjects (n = 20) and dry eye patients (n = 35). Disposable eyelid-warming steamers that either did (MH) or did not (HO) contain menthol were applied to one eye of each subject either once only for 10 min or repeatedly over 2 weeks. Single application of MH significantly increased tear meniscus volume (P = 8.6 × 10−5, P = 1.3 × 10−5) and tear film breakup time (P = 0.006, P = 0.002) as well as improved meibum condition in healthy subjects and dry eye patients, respectively. Repeated application of MH significantly increased tear meniscus volume (P = 0.004, P = 1.7 × 10−4) and tear film breakup time (P = 0.037, P = 0.010) in healthy subjects and dry eye patients, respectively. Repeated application of MH thus induced persistent increases in tear fluid volume and tear film stability in dry eye patients, suggesting that repeated use of a warm compress containing menthol is a potential novel treatment for dry eye disease.

Effects of Bedtime Periocular Warming on Sleep Status in Adult Female Subjects: A Pilot Study

Several studies have reported that suitable manipulation of human skin or body temperature can lead to improved sleep. To clarify the effect of skin warming on human sleep, 38 female subjects, who occasionally had difficulty with falling asleep, were studied. The participants underwent two experimental sessions, which were carried out in two consecutive follicular phases and randomly crossed over. The participants wore hot or sham eye masks in one 14-day session. The first half of each 14-day session was designated the baseline period (BL) without any interventions and the later half was designated the intervention period (INT), in which they wore either the hot or sham eye mask for 10 minutes at bedtime. All the participants were instructed to keep a sleep diary every morning for the BL and INT. The results showed that the hot eye mask was significantly preferred over the sham one with respect to comfort and that feelings of restfulness and being refreshed upon wakening in the morning were significantly better with the hot eye mask than with the sham. These results suggest that bedtime periocular warming has favorable effects on subjective well-being on awakening, possibly due to the sense of comfort experienced at bedtime.

P35.26 Application of a heat- and steam-generating sheet produces parasympathetic predominance and increases peripheral blood flow

Background: The prevalence of Visual hallucination (VH) in Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been reported to be between 6% and 60%. VH were a risk factor for permanent nursing home placement, with its associated high mortality rate. Some report mentioned that autonomic dysfunction was associated with VH. Objective: We clarify the relationship between the extent and pattern of autonomic dysfunction and VH in patients with PD. Methods: The subjects were 92 patients with PD (30 men and 62 women, age 66.2 years, range 41–88 years) with disease duration of 1–12 years (mean 2.8 years). Autonomic nervous function, including cardiac sympathetic gain, was evaluated on the basis of cardiac radioiodinated metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) uptake and hemodynamic testing using the Valsalva maneuver (VM). The systolic blood pressure and the plasma norepinephrine concentration (NE) were also measured in supine and standing position on tilt table test. Results: MIBG uptakes in heart were significantly lower in PD patients with VH than in patients without VH. Hemodynamic studies using the VM revealed that PD patients with VH had reduced vasomotor sympathetic function, but not parasympathetic function. No significant difference in blood pressure response on the tilt table test was found between control and patients without VH, while the blood pressure response was significantly reduced in patients with VH as compared with control. The NE level of PD patients without VH was similar to those of controls in the supine and standing positions. However, PD patients with VH had a significantly lower NE level than controls in the supine and standing positions. Conclusion: Our results show that cardiac and vasomotor sympathetic dysfunction is more severe in PD patients with VH than in patients without VH, but not parasympathetic dysfunction. Theses findings may be due to postganglionic sympathetic dysfunction and suggest widespread Lewy body pathology in PD with VH.