Modifying humidity and convection to glabrous tissue to control metabolism

1. A system for stimulating glabrous tissue of a patient, comprising:

a rigid or semi-rigid housing surrounding a chamber;

a gas compressor configured to supply de-humidified air to the chamber sufficient to transfer heat away from the glabrous tissue, the de-humidifed air having a relative humidity of less than about 25%;

an inlet fluidly connecting the gas compressor to the chamber;

a patient port operably connected to the chamber and configured to house an extremity of the patient comprising the glabrous tissue, the patient port having a seal such that upon insertion of the extremity of the patient into the chamber a seal is formed in an interior of the chamber;

a power source;

a gas outlet fluidly connected to the chamber; and

a convection fan configured to flow air to the glabrous tissue sufficient to increase a basal metabolic rate of the patient; and

a controller configured to adjust the relative humidity of the de-humidified air into the chamber,

wherein the system is not configured to alter a temperature or pressure of the interior of the chamber.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to remove at least 5 kcal of heat from the glabrous tissue in a period of time that is less than about 1 hour.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to increase the basal metabolic rate of the patient by at least about 5% in a 24 hour period.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to increase adiponectin levels of the patient by at least about 5% after about 1 hour.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the relative humidity based upon receiving information from a sensor conveying physiologic information about the patient.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one humidity sensor within the chamber.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the gas compressor comprises an oxygenator.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is at least partially in the shape of a shoe configured to be worn by the patient to treat plantar glabrous tissue of the patient.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is at least partially in the shape of a glove configured to be worn by the patient to treat palmar glabrous tissue of the patient.

10. A method for treating a patient, comprising:

identifying a region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue;

positioning the region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue into an enclosed chamber; and

applying a gas having a preselected first relative humidity selectively to a region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue within the enclosed chamber such that the region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue does not contact a sidewall of the chamber, wherein the first relative humidity is less than about 30%,

wherein the method does not alter a temperature or pressure of an environment surrounding the region of the patient within the enclosed chamber.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising activating a fan configured to promote heat loss from the glabrous tissue.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first relative humidity is less than about 25%.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first relative humidity is less than about 20%.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first relative humidity is less than about 15%.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method is sufficient to increase a basal metabolic rate of a patient by at least 5% in a 24 hour period following the treatment.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method is sufficient to increase a basal metabolic rate of a patient by at least 10% in a 24 hour period following the treatment.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein applying the gas is sufficient to reduce a core temperature of the patient.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein applying the gas is sufficient to increase adiponectin production in the patient.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein applying the gas is sufficient to cause weight loss in the patient.

20. The method of claim 10 , wherein applying the gas is sufficient to improve one or more of the following selected from the group consisting of: diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension.

21. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method does not comprise modifying a temperature within the enclosed chamber.

22. The method of claim 10 , wherein air surrounding the patient outside of the enclosed chamber has a second relative humidity, wherein the second relative humidity is at least about 30%.

23. The method of claim 10 , wherein applying the gas is done continuously for at least about 30 minutes.

24. The method of claim 10 , wherein applying the gas is done continuously for at least about 60 minutes.

25. The method of claim 10 , wherein applying the gas is done continuously for at least about 2 hours.

26. The method of claim 10 , further comprising repeating the method daily for at least about 1 week.

27. The method of claim 10 , further comprising repeating the method daily for at least about 2 weeks.

28. The method of claim 10 , further comprising sensing a physiologic parameter of a patient, and adjusting the first relative humidity in response to the sensing of the physiologic parameter.

29. The method of claim 10 , wherein the region comprising glabrous tissue of the patient is a palmar surface of the patient.

30. The method of claim 10 , wherein the region comprising glabrous tissue of the patient is a plantar surface of the patient.

31. The method of claim 10 , wherein the enclosed chamber is in the form of one of a glove, a boot, or a shoe and configured to allow the patient to ambulate while the region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue is within the chamber.

32. A method for treating metabolic syndrome, comprising:

identifying a region of a patient comprising glabrous tissue;

positioning the region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue into an enclosed chamber;

adjusting a relative humidity of the enclosed chamber, such that the relative humidity of the enclosed chamber is less than about 20%; and

activating a convection fan within the chamber to promote heat transfer from the glabrous tissue,

wherein the method does not involve altering a temperature within the enclosed chamber and is performed at atmospheric pressure.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the method causes at least 5 kcal of heat to be lost from the patient within a time period of within one hour.

34. The method of claim 32 , wherein the method causes at least 10 kcal of heat to be lost from the patient within a time period of within one hour.

35. The method of claim 32 , wherein the method causes an increase in adiponectin production in the patient of at least 5%.

36. The method of claim 32 , wherein the method causes a decrease in LDL cholesterol of at least about 5% within a week after the treatment.

37. The method of claim 32 , wherein the method causes an increase in HDL cholesterol of at least about 5% within a week after the treatment.

38. The method of claim 32 , wherein the method causes a decrease in triglycerides of at least about 5% within a week after the treatment.

39. The method of claim 32 , wherein the method causes a decrease in fructosamine of at least about 5% within a week after the treatment.

40. The method of claim 32 , wherein the method causes a decrease in HbA1c of at least about 5% within a month after the treatment.

41. The method of claim 32 , wherein positioning the region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue into the enclosed chamber is performed such that the region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue does not contact a sidewall of the chamber.