Home leg heat therapy for people with HFpEF
Heat therapy to improve functional performance in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Wearing portable heated trousers at home aims to help older women with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction walk farther and feel better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11177923 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would wear custom trousers that circulate warm water over your buttocks, thighs, and calves for repeated sessions at home. The device is portable and designed to be used without supervision, while researchers will measure changes in your exercise tolerance and quality of life. The team is focusing on older women with HFpEF because they often have worse exercise limits and are underrepresented in past studies. Prior safety testing in older adults with limited mobility and encouraging animal data support trying this approach in people with HFpEF.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older women diagnosed with HFpEF who experience exercise intolerance and can use the heated trousers at home while attending occasional clinic visits.
Not a fit: People with other types of heart failure (reduced ejection fraction), severe peripheral vascular disease, uncontrolled skin conditions, or who cannot tolerate heat are unlikely to benefit from this therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve walking distance, daily function, and overall quality of life for older women with HFpEF.
How similar studies have performed: Small prior studies in elderly people with restricted mobility showed that the heated trousers were safe and improved exercise tolerance, and preclinical HFpEF models also showed benefit, but this specific approach has not yet been tested in older women with HFpEF.
Where this research is happening
West Lafayette, United States
- Purdue University — West Lafayette, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hirai, Daniel M. — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Hirai, Daniel M.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.