Treatment of patients with occupational hand-arm vibration disease with hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of patients with occupational hand-arm vibration disease. Methods From January 2010 to August 2013,a total of 108 patients with hand-arm vibration disease were randomly divided into the hyperbaric oxygen therapy group (HBO group)and the regular group. The patients in the regular group were treated with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicines,such as circulation improvement,nerve nutrition, acupuncture and physical therapy. The patients in the HBO group were additionally treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy besides the same treatment as the regular group. After the treatment,the therapeutic effects were compared between these two groups through the analysis of clinical data,electroneuromyography,cool water loading test and adverse reactions. Results Compared with the regular group,the HBO group had more effective symptom relief in hand numbness,hypalgesia, hypopselaphesia and pallhypesthesia(P<0.05). The electroneuromyography examination showed that motor nerve conduction velocity, sense nerve conduction velocity and motor digital latency of median nerve and ulnar nerve were significantly improved in the HBO group. The cool water loading test showed that 5 min rewarming rate and 10 min rewarming rate of both left and right hands in the HBO group were improved more effectively compared with the regular group (P<0.05). Conclusion The research has demonstrated the clinical efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of occupational hand-arm vibration disease. Being safe and effective,this therapy is worth recommending.