Effects of Repetitive Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment in Patients with Acute Cerebral Infarction: A Pilot Study

Cheng-Hsin Chen,Vinchi Wang,Wen-Ya Ma,Chao-Ching Chen,Shao-Yuan Chen,Kaw-Chen Wang,Chuan-Chieh Liu,Ping-Keung Yip,Kuo-Cheng Lu,Chih-Hao Chen,Yi-Chien Liu

doi:10.1100/2012/694703

Cheng-Hsin Chen, Vinchi Wang + Show 9 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1100/2012/694703

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Abstract

The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke is controversial. This prospective study assessed the efficacy and safety of HBOT as adjuvant treatment on 46 acute ischemic stroke in patients who did not receive thrombolytic therapy. The HBOT group (n = 16) received conventional medical treatment with 10 sessions of adjunctive HBOT within 3–5 days after stroke onset, while the control group (n = 30) received the same treatment but without HBOT. Early (around two weeks after onset) and late (one month after onset) outcomes (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, NIHSS scores) and efficacy (changes of NIHSS scores) of HBOT were evaluated. The baseline clinical characteristics were similar in both groups. Both early and late outcomes of the HBOT group showed significant difference (P ≤ 0.001). In the control group, there was only significant difference in early outcome (P = 0.004). For early efficacy, there was no difference when comparing changes of NIHSS scores between the two groups (P = 0.140) but there was statistically significant difference when comparing changes of NIHSS scores at one month (P ≤ 0.001). The HBOT used in this study may be effective for patients with acute ischemic stroke and is a safe and harmless adjunctive treatment.

Highlights

In most developed countries, cerebrovascular disease is always ranked in the top ten causes of death
The hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) used in this study may be effective for patients with acute ischemic stroke and is a safe and harmless adjunctive treatment
Categorical variables analyzed by Fishers exact test and numerical variables analyzed by Student’s t-test showed no statistically significant difference

Summary

Introduction

Cerebrovascular disease is always ranked in the top ten causes of death. Prospective, double-blind, and sham-controlled pilot study published in 2003, Rusyniak et al delivered HBOT to 33 patients with acute ischemic stroke who did not receive thrombolytic therapy, and assessed the therapeutic effectiveness after 24 hours and 90 days. They concluded that HBOT did not appear to be beneficial and might even be harmful for patients with acute ischemic stroke [11]. This study prospectively assessed the efficacy and feasibility of applying 10 repetitions of HBOT at 2.0 ATA for one hour in patients with mild acute ischemic stroke within 3–5 days after stroke onset to reinvestigate the role of HBOT in treating acute ischemic stroke

Methods

Results

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Discussion

Conclusions