Effectiveness of a far‐infrared low‐temperature sauna program on geriatric syndrome and frailty in community‐dwelling older people

AIM: Although it is known that geriatric syndrome is associated with the development of frailty, it is not known whether an amelioration of geriatric syndrome also improves shared risk factors and frailty. METHODS: In total, 67 community‐dwelling older people (79.6 ± 6.5 years, 49 women) participated in this study (41 were classified as pre‐frail and 26 as frail). We analyzed indices of physical frailty and cognitive depression, exercise tolerance and health‐related quality of life as frailty related indices, and the participants completed a questionnaire regarding common geriatric symptoms (cold extremities, leg edema, breathlessness, urinary incontinence, chronic headache, chronic pain, a sense of numbness, anorexia, constipation, insomnia and skin trouble) using numeric ratings. Frailty was evaluated using the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study (J‐CHS) criteria. The participants then underwent a far‐infrared low‐temperature sauna (FILTS) program twice a week for 3 months and the above parameters were reassessed. RESULTS: After the FILTS program, there were significant differences in usual walking speed, peak oxygen uptake, Geriatric Depression Scale‐15, health‐related quality of life and the severity of several geriatric symptoms. Of the 67 participants, 18 showed improvements in their J‐CHS frailty score, 47 showed no change and two showed reductions. Linear regression analysis showed that the change in the numeric rating of the coldness of extremities (B = −0.105, P = 0.013) and the cumulative numeric rating for geriatric syndromes (B = 0.044, P < 0.001) were independent determinants of the change in the J‐CHS score. CONCLUSIONS: A 3‐month FILTS program ameliorates geriatric syndrome, the severity of frailty and frailty related indices in older Japanese people. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 892–898.