Far-infrared therapy for secondary vascular access patency of hemodialysis patients

Hiroaki Io,Hiroyuki Inoshita,Rumi Aoyama,Junichiro Nakata,Takanori Nakano,Yusuke Suzuki,Mitsumine Fukui,Masanori Ishizaka,Yasuhiko Tomino

doi:10.1186/s41100-019-0224-9

Hiroaki Io, Hiroyuki Inoshita + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41100-019-0224-9

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Abstract

IntroductionFar-infrared radiation therapy (FIRT), which utilizes an invisible electromagnetic wave, has demonstrated its ability to improve vascular access flow for hemodialysis (HD) patients. Although previous overseas studies revealed the beneficial effects of FIRT on HD patients by improving vascular function, no study in Japan has examined the clinical efficacy of FIRT for such patients. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the usefulness of FIRT for HD patients. We paid particular attention on secondary vascular access (VA) patency of HD patients.MethodsEighteen patients who had undergone vasodilation of VA vessels or vascularization more than once were selected from approximately 70 outpatients receiving HD in the Dialysis Unit of the Juntendo University Hospital. FIRT was administered for 40 min during HD three times per week for 1 year to the not frequent VA treatment (nf-VAT) group, for which VA intervention had been performed no more than two times during the 1 year, and to the frequent VA treatment (f-VAT) group, for which VA intervention had been performed three times or more over the 1 year. Variables including VA treatment interval were compared between those groups.ResultsThe nf-VAT group did not require VA re-treatment during the study period. The VA treatment interval was significantly prolonged in the f-VAT group. The fistula diameter expanded, and intimal thickening improved significantly in the nf-VAT group. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased slightly.ConclusionThis study suggested that FIRT is effective for improving secondary VA patency.Trial registrationUMIN, UMIN000011965. Registered 4 October 2013, Japanese: https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000013960, English: https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000013960

Highlights

Far-infrared radiation therapy (FIRT), which utilizes an invisible electromagnetic wave, has demonstrated its ability to improve vascular access flow for hemodialysis (HD) patients
This study suggested that FIRT is effective for improving secondary vascular access (VA) patency
The frequent VA treatment (f-VAT) group was treated with percutaneous trans-angioplasty (PTA) which interval for thrice or more over the past year

Summary

Introduction

Far-infrared radiation therapy (FIRT), which utilizes an invisible electromagnetic wave, has demonstrated its ability to improve vascular access flow for hemodialysis (HD) patients. The prognosis of VA in HD patients is presumably influenced by the following factors: enhanced coagulation properties, injury to vascular endothelial cells, red blood cell volume, and gene polymorphisms in heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene [1] Since these factors can be controlled by drugs or other therapies, they have been of interest to researchers in this field. FIRT has been used for the treatment of ischemic lesions or skin necrosis due to injury, diabetes, or peripheral nerve disease Such studies have suggested that FIRT may improve vascular endothelial function and decrease endothelial dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease, heart failure, and arrhythmia [3, 4]. No study in Japan has examined the effects of FIRT with regard to secondary VA patency

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