Successful Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy with Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone Therapy for Delayed Neuropsychiatric Sequelae after Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Case Study

Abstract

Delayed neuropsychiatric sequelae (DNS) after acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a complication of CO intoxication. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is one of the only established treatments for CO poisoning, but as there is no specific treatment for DNS, the prognosis of DNS patients is generally poor. A 40-year-old male patient, following attempted suicide by CO poisoning, was referred to our department after having received HBO therapy at another hospital, but treatment had been subsequently discontinued due to patient agitation. The patient was diagnosed with DNS after acute CO poisoning, and we reinitiated HBO therapy. However, due to manifestation of symptoms of severe dementia, treatment was discontinued. After initiating thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) therapy, psychiatric symptoms, such as difficulty in following instructions, improved, enabling the resumption of HBO therapy. Daily activities returned to premorbid levels following treatment. Thus, TRH therapy could be effective for patients with DNS due to acute CO poisoning who experience difficulty with HBO therapy.