What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: RCT. Population: Advanced chronic heart failure (n=149). Intervention: Waon therapy vs. Optimal medical therapy. Primary outcome: Changes in the logarithm of BNP before and after the 2-week study period (p=0.4179).

January 1, 2016Circulation JournalOpen Access

Waon Therapy for Managing Chronic Heart Failure – Results From a Multicenter Prospective Randomized WAON-CHF Study –

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Key result

Waon therapy did not significantly reduce plasma BNP levels compared to control (p=0.4179), but it significantly improved NYHA class, 6-minute walk distance, and cardiothoracic ratio in patients with advanced heart failure.

Why the study?

Does Waon therapy improve BNP levels and clinical symptoms in hospitalized patients with advanced heart failure?

Study Design

Type

RCT (n=149)

Blinding

Open-label

Randomization

Minimization method

Multicenter

Yes

Structured PICO

Does Waon therapy improve BNP levels and clinical symptoms in hospitalized patients with advanced heart failure?

Population

149 hospitalized patients with advanced heart failure (mean age 66, 39% female) and elevated BNP despite medical therapy, followed for 2 weeks.

Intervention

Waon therapy (far infrared-ray dry sauna at 60°C for 15 min, followed by 30 min bed rest with blanket, plus oral hydration) once daily, 5 days/week for 2 weeks (10 sessions total), added to optimal medical therapy.

Comparator

Optimal medical therapy alone (control group).

Outcome

Changes in the logarithm of BNP before and after the 2-week study period.surrogate

Main Result

p-value: p=0.4179

In patients with advanced heart failure, 2 weeks of Waon therapy did not significantly reduce BNP compared to control, but safely improved exercise capacity and symptoms.

Limitations

Primary endpoint did not reach statistical significance
Open-label design as the procedure cannot be blinded
Baseline differences in BMI and diabetes frequency between groups
Missing echocardiographic parameters like IVC diameter and mitral regurgitation degree
Short observation period of 2 weeks
Primary endpoint did not reach statistical significance between groups
Short duration (10 sessions) may be insufficient for advanced HF
Open-label design
Baseline differences in BMI and diabetes frequency
Missing some echocardiographic parameters (IVC, MR)

Discussion

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Implication

Waon therapy does not lower BNP but improves symptoms and walk distance in advanced HF; extends nonpharmacologic evidence while questioning biomarker primacy.

Cite This Study

Tei et al. (2016) conducted an RCT in Advanced chronic heart failure (n=149). Waon therapy vs. Optimal medical therapy was evaluated on Changes in the logarithm of BNP before and after the 2-week study period (p=0.4179). Waon therapy did not significantly reduce plasma BNP levels compared to control (p=0.4179), but it significantly improved NYHA class, 6-minute walk distance, and cardiothoracic ratio in patients with advanced heart failure.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a99be7e09e2beb8af95bbbb https://doi.org/10.1253/circj.cj-16-0051

Topics

Heart failure HFrEF treatment

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Implication

Waon therapy does not lower BNP but improves symptoms and walk distance in advanced HF; extends nonpharmacologic evidence while questioning biomarker primacy.

Waon Therapy for Managing Chronic Heart Failure – Results From a Multicenter Prospective Randomized WAON-CHF Study –

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Topics

Waon Therapy for Managing Chronic Heart Failure – Results From a Multicenter Prospective Randomized WAON-CHF Study –

Study Design

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Topics

Also Consider