Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing the Effects of Far-Infrared Emitting Ceramic Fabric Shirts and Control Polyester Shirts on Transcutaneous PO2

Washington et al, 2018 [single blinded Randomized Controlled Trial; n = 153; male and female; from 18 to 60 years old] aimed to confirm earlier studies showing transcutaneous partial pressure of oxygen (tcPO2) to be higher under clothing made with polyethylene terephalate (PET) fabric containing ceramic particles (CEL) compared to standard PET fabric. This study measured changes in tcPO2 at 30 minutes intervals up to 90 minutes using Clark electrodes placed under either PET and CEL shirts which differed only by the presence or absence of ceramic particles in otherwise identical PET fibers. It was identified that independent of donning sequence, tcPO2 measurements 90 minutes after wearing CEL were 6.7% higher than after 90 minutes wearing PET (p<0.0003). Sequence analysis found tcPO2 in PET subjects to gradually rise before and after switching garments, but tcPO2 fell immediately after switching garments in CELF subjects. PET baseline O2sat of 98.1 ± 1.3 increased insignificantly after 90 minutes, and then increased further to 98.6 ± 0.8 after wearing CE ninety minutes. CEL baseline O2sat of 97.9 ± 1.7 increased to 98.5 ± 1.1 90 minutes after donning CEL and fell to 98.3 ± 1.0 ninety minutes after switching to PET. The authors concluded that the ability of ceramicembedded fabric to induce higher tcPO2 measurements is not due to sequence bias. The present study has added to the body of evidence that suggest that FIR-emitting garments can exert real measurable physiological effects and deserve further study for medical indications. Especially the potential for ceramic-embedded fabrics to improve skin and wound perfusion has relevance to diabetes and warrants further study.