Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Efficacy of combined glucocorticoid and hyperbaric oxygen therapy against delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning, and its effect on expression of immune-associated cytokines

Na Li, Xiang-En Meng, Hang Li, Dan-Feng Fan, Shu-Yi Pan

Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen, PLA Navy General Hospital, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China;

For correspondence:- Shu-Yi Pan Email: ut1349@163.com

Accepted: 27 May 2018 Published: 30 June 2018

Citation: Li N, Meng X, Li H, Fan D, Pan S. Efficacy of combined glucocorticoid and hyperbaric oxygen therapy against delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning, and its effect on expression of immune-associated cytokines. Trop J Pharm Res 2018; 17(6):1177-1183 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v17i6.26

© 2018 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To study the efficacy of glucocorticoid combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP), and its effect on the expression of immune-associated cytokines.

Methods: A total of 102 DEACMP patients in PLA General Hospital, Haidian, China were divided into two groups of 51 patients each, namely, observation group (glucocorticoid + hyperbaric oxygen therapy), and control group (hyperbaric oxygen only). The clinical data for each group was retrospectively analyzed. Clinical efficacy, improvement time, hospitalization time, cognitive function, activities associated with daily living, changes in immunity-associated cytokines, and incidence of adverse reactions were compared for the two groups.

Results: Following treatment, the time taken for improvement, duration of hospitalization, cognitive function, daily living activity and total effectiveness in the observation group were significantly higher than those for the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, the levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF- β1), interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in the observation group were significantly greater than for the corresponding control group levels (p <0.05). There was no significant difference in incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: These results suggest that a combination therapy of glucocorticoid and hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of DEACMP is more eutherapeutic in the improvement of cognitive function and activities of daily living in DEACMP patients than hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The mechanism of this combination therapy may be related to the improvement in immunity-related cytokine levels.

Keywords: Glucocorticoid, Hyperbaric oxygen, Delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning, Efficacy, Immunity