0000000000380612
AUTHOR
Tomoko Ichiki
Effects of sauna bath on heart failure : A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Sauna bath has potential as a lifestyle treatment modality for heart failure (HF). It is important to analyze the current evidence to help suggest paths of future study and potential for clinical application. Hypothesis: Sauna bath has a positive effect on HF patients. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases were searched to identify randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies to compare effects of sauna bath with no sauna bath. Studies were searched for both infrared sauna bath and Finnish sauna bath. The strength of evidence was rated using a modified GRADE approach. Out of 1444 studies, nine met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Seve…
The aging heart, myocardial fibrosis, and its relationship to circulating C-type natriuretic Peptide.
Myocardial aging is characterized by left ventricular (LV) fibrosis leading to diastolic and systolic dysfunction. Studies have established the potent antifibrotic and antiproliferative properties of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP); however, the relationship between circulating CNP, LV fibrosis, and associated changes in LV function with natural aging are undefined. Accordingly, we characterized the relationship of plasma CNP with LV fibrosis and function in 2-, 11-, and 20-month–old male Fischer rats. Further in vitro, we established the antiproliferative actions of CNP and the participation of the clearance receptor using adult human cardiac fibroblasts. Here we establish for the first t…
Cardiac Micro–Computed Tomography Imaging of the Aging Coronary Vasculature
Background— Alterations at the level of the coronary circulation with aging may play an important role in the evolution of age-associated changes in left ventricular (LV) fibrosis and function. However these age-associated changes in the coronary vasculature remain poorly defined primarily due to the lack of high resolution imaging technologies. The current study was designed to utilize cardiac micro–computed tomography (micro-CT) technology as a novel imaging strategy, to define the 3-dimensional coronary circulation in the young and aged heart and its relationship to LV fibrosis and function. Methods and Results— Young (2 months old; n=10) and aged (20 months old; n=10) Fischer rats unde…