The effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning

Abstract

Objective To investigate effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP). Methods This was a prospective random study of 60 patients with DEACMP admitted to Beijing Tiantan Hospital. Among them, 32 constituted the HBOT group and 28 were controls. All of the patients in both groups were given drugs to improve microcirculation and rehabilitation treatment. Additionally, the patients in the HBOT group were given hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Barthel index and an index of age-related white matter changes (ARWMC) were used assess the patients' cognition, motor function and cerebral white matter lesions on the day of enrollment and on the 35th and 70th day after treatment. Results Before treatment there was no significant difference in average MMSE, Barthel index or ARWMC scores between the groups. In the HBOT group the average MMSE and Barthel index scores on the 35th and 70th day after enrollment were significantly higher than on the day of enrollment and the average ARWMC score on the 70th day was significantly lower than at enrollment. On the 35th day the average MMSE and Barthel index scores of the HBOT group were significantly higher than those of the control group, but there was no significant difference in the groups' average ARWMC scores. On the 70th day after enrollment the HBOT group's average MMSE and Barthel index scores were still significantly higher than those of the control group, but its average ARWMC score was significantly lower. Conclusion HBOT can help improve cognitive and motor function and also alleviate cerebral white matter lesions of DEACMP patients. Key words: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy; Encephalopathy; Carbon monoxide poisoning