Beneficial effects of Waon therapy on patients with chronic heart failure: Results of a prospective multicenter study

Summary Background We conducted a prospective multicenter case–control study to confirm the clinical efficacy and safety of Waon therapy on chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods Patients ( n = 188) with CHF were treated with standard therapy for at least 1 week, and then were randomized to Waon therapy ( n = 112) or a control group ( n = 76). All patients continued conventional treatment for an additional 2 weeks. The Waon therapy group was treated daily with a far infrared-ray dry sauna at 60 °C for 15 min and then kept on bed rest with a blanket for 30 min for 2 weeks. Chest radiography, echocardiography, and plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were measured before and 2 weeks after treatment. Results NYHA functional class significantly decreased after 2 weeks of treatment in both groups. Chest radiography also showed a significant decrease of the cardiothoracic ratio in both groups (Waon therapy: 57.2 ± 8.0% to 55.2 ± 8.0%, p < 0.0001; control: 57.0 ± 7.7% to 56.0 ± 7.1%, p < 0.05). Echocardiography demonstrated that left ventricular diastolic dimension (LVDd), left atrial dimension (LAD), and ejection fraction (EF) significantly improved in the Waon therapy group (LVDd: 60.6 ± 7.6 to 59.1 ± 8.4 mm, p < 0.0001; LAD: 45.4 ± 9.3 mm to 44.1 ± 9.4 mm, p < 0.05; EF: 31.6 ± 10.4% to 34.6 ± 10.6%, p < 0.0001), but not in the control group (LVDd: 58.4 ± 10.3 mm to 57.9 ± 10.4 mm; LAD: 46.3 ± 9.7 mm to 46.2 ± 10.1 mm; EF: 36.6 ± 14.1% to 37.3 ± 14.0%). The plasma concentration of BNP significantly decreased with Waon therapy, but not in the control group (Waon: 542 ± 508 pg/ml to 394 ± 410 pg/ml, p < 0.001; control: 440 ± 377 pg/ml to 358 ± 382 pg/ml). Conclusion Waon therapy is safe, improves clinical symptoms and cardiac function, and decreases cardiac size in CHF patients. Waon therapy is an innovative and promising therapy for patients with CHF.