Evaluation of the Occlusive Arterial Disease and Diabetic Angiopathy Treatment Effects by Hyperbaric Oxygenation

INTRODUCTION: One of the most severe complications of atherosclerosis is arterial occlusive disease (AOD) and with diabetic angiopathy (DA), is a common chronic problem in clinical practice worldwide. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is a therapeutic modality for solving all forms of hypoxia. AIM: To compare the treatment with HBO therapy in patients with AOD and DA ischemic symptomatology with standard treatment i.e. vasodilators, antibiotics, antiplatelets and statins, and to demonstrate the benefit of the therapeutic modality itself. METHODS: We conducted a clinical prospective study and included a total of 80 patients, divided into two groups: 40 patients with the arterial occlusive disease and lower-extremity wounds, with sub-group (n=20) treated with HBO therapy on the top of the standard therapy and 40 patients with diabetic angiopathy and diabetic lower-extremity wounds, with sub-group (n=20) treated with HBO therapy on top of the standard therapy. RESULTS: The efficacy of therapy in patients treated with HBO therapy on the top of standard therapy was significantly higher than in the group of HBO non-treated patients. There was a significant improvement in 9 patients treated with HBO therapy, while in HBO non-treated patients the significant improvement effect was observed only in one patient. CONCLUSION: HBO therapy is an effective therapeutic component in the healing of diabetic lower-extremity wounds in the patients with AOD and DA. In our patients HBO therapy on the top of standard therapeutic protocol has an effect of reducing the number of lower-limb amputations in patients with AOD and DA. These results support clinical use of HBO therapy for diabetic lower-extremity wound healing.