Attenuated Risk of Pneumonia Due to Inflammation by Frequent Sauna Baths: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY
Kunutsor SK, Jae SY, Laukkanen JA
Journal of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and prevention · 13 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Cohort study (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Clinical events such as disease or death
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- Government
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
Based on 2 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2021-03-30 · J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev · vol. 42 · issue 1 · pp. 59–63
- Publisher
- Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- Cited
- 17 citations · more than 81% of similar papers · 1.5× the field average
- References
- 53 works
- Access
- Open access (repository copy) · CC-BY-NC
- Research areas
- Thermoregulation and physiological responses · Therapeutic Uses of Natural Elements · Exercise and Physiological Responses
- Keywords
- Medicine, Pneumonia, Inflammation, Intensive care medicine, Internal medicine
- MeSH
- humans, pneumonia, inflammation, c-reactive protein, baths, steam bath, risk factors, prospective studies, middle aged, male
3 authors
From GB, ID, KR, FI
- Setor K. Kunutsor · correspondingUniversity Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; Universitas Kuningan
- Sae Young JaeUniversity of Seoul; University of Eastern Finland; University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; Universitas Kuningan; Eastern Finland Laboratory Center
- Jari A. LaukkanenUniversity of Seoul; University of Eastern Finland; University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; Universitas Kuningan; Eastern Finland Laboratory Center
Abstract
Purpose
Inflammatory pathways are involved in the pathogenesis of pneumonia. Frequent sauna sessions may reduce the risk of respiratory tract infections including pneumonia independent of inflammation. We aimed to evaluate the independent and joint associations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and frequency of sauna bathing (FSB) with risk of pneumonia in a prospective cohort study.
Methods
Serum hsCRP as an inflammatory marker was measured using an immunometric assay and FSB was assessed by self-reported sauna bathing habits at baseline in 2264 men aged 42-61 yr. Serum hsCRP was categorized as normal and high (≤3 and >3 mg/L, respectively) and FSB as low and high (defined as ≤1 and 2-7 sessions/wk, respectively). Multivariable-adjusted HRs (CIs) were calculated for incident pneumonia.
Results
A total of 528 cases of pneumonia occurred during a median follow-up of 26.6 yr. Comparing high versus normal hsCRP, the multivariable-adjusted risk for pneumonia was HR = 1.30 (95% CI, 1.04-1.62). The corresponding risk was HR = 0.79 (95% CI, 0.66-0.95) comparing high versus low FSB. Compared with men with normal hsCRP and low FSB, high hsCRP and low FSB was associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in multivariable analysis (HR = 1.67: 95% CI, 1.21-2.29), with no evidence of an association for high hsCRP and high FSB and pneumonia (HR = 0.94: 95% CI, 0.69-1.29).
Conclusions
In a general middle-aged to older male Caucasian population, frequent sauna baths attenuated the increased risk of pneumonia due to inflammation.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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