Frequent sauna use attenuates the association between elevated CRP and pneumonia risk.
Frequent sauna use may modify the association between chronic inflammation and pneumonia risk. Researchers measured high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and recorded sauna habits in 2,264 Finnish men between 42 and 61 years old. During a median follow-up of 26.6 years, 528 participants developed pneumonia.
Elevated hsCRP - defined as greater than 3 milligrams per liter - was associated with a 30 percent higher risk of pneumonia. By contrast, two to seven sauna sessions per week versus no more than one was associated with a 21 percent lower risk.
Enjoying this research? Get deeper insights like this delivered every other week.
Every other week our Premium Members receive deep dives like this alongside Rhonda's commentary and 8+ other hand-picked papers.
The joint analysis was particularly notable. Compared with men who had normal hsCRP and infrequent sauna use, those with elevated hsCRP and infrequent sauna use had a 67 percent higher pneumonia risk. Elevated hsCRP combined with frequent sauna use was not associated with excess risk (HR 0.94; 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.29).
Frequent sauna use therefore statistically attenuated the association between elevated CRP and pneumonia in this cohort. It did not prove that sauna lowered CRP, neutralized inflammation, or prevented infection. Sauna habits and hsCRP were measured observationally, and residual confounding remains possible.