Application of a Heat- and Steam-Generating Sheet Increases Peripheral Blood Flow and Induces Parasympathetic Predominance
Figure 7
Serial changes of the tissue total hemoglobin levels and oxygen saturation during and after application of the HSG sheet. ∘ (anterior abdominal region) or ∆ (lumbar region); control group (sham belt), ●; HSG sheet applied and fixed as a waist belt to the anterior abdominal region, ▴; HSG sheet applied and fixed as a waist belt to the lumbar region, abdominal region (a); abdominal muscle tissue total hemoglobin level, abdominal region (b); abdominal muscle tissue oxygen saturation, lumbar region (c); lumbar muscle tissue total hemoglobin level, lumbar region (d); lumbar muscle tissue oxygen saturation, periphery (e); total hemoglobin level in the fingertip skin tissue, periphery (f); fingertip skin tissue oxygen saturation. Relative to the tissue total hemoglobin levels or tissue oxygen saturation at rest (=100%), the percentages of the tissue total hemoglobin level and tissue oxygen saturation during the 60-minute period of application of the sham belt or HSG sheet belt to the anterior abdominal region/lumbar region (the period marked with dotted line) and the 30-minute period after the removal of the sham belt or HSG sheet belt (until 90 minutes during and after application of the belt/sheet) are shown. Data are mean ± SE of the 10 subjects. *() and **() indicate significant differences from the control group (Tukey-Kramer’s multiple comparison).
