Taste perception and food preferences in patients with diabetic foot ulcers before and after hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on taste perception and food preferences in patients with diabetic foot ulcers. METHODS: The study involved 75 healthy people (Group C) and 23 patients with diabetic foot ulcers before HBOT (Group Db) and after 25-30 HBOT treatments (Group Da) (2.5 ATA, 87 min). The sip and spit method was used to examine the taste perception for 5 basic flavours. Food preferences were studied using photographs of dishes. RESULTS: The recognition thresholds in Group C were lower than in Group Db for 5 basic flavours. The taste intensity in Group C was higher than in Group Db for: 0.1% and 1.0% monosodium glutamate, 0.02% citric acid, and 0.002% quinine hydrochloride. The hedonic response in Group C was more negative than in Group Db for: 0.18% sodium chloride, 0.3% monosodium glutamate and 0.1% citric acid. The pleasure derived from eating in Group C was lower than in Group Db for sour and salty products. The recognition thresholds in Group Db were higher than in Group Da for umami and sour. The taste intensity in Group Db was lower than in Group Da for: 0.1%, 0.3% and 1.0% monosodium glutamate. The pleasure derived from eating in Group Db was higher than in Group Da for chocolate and crisps. CONCLUSIONS: In people with diabetic foot ulcers, an impaired all 5 basic tastes occurred with different food preferences compared to healthy people. HBOT causes beneficial changes resulting in increased sensitivity to umami and sour taste as well as a decrease in the pleasure derived from eating chocolate and crisps.

Preliminary Research on the Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Patients with Post-COVID-19 Syndrome.

Negative consequences and medical complications of COVID-19 can persist for up to several months after initial recovery. These consequences can include stroke, diabetes, decreased lung diffusing capacity, sleep apnea, pulmonary fibrosis, arrhythmia, myocarditis, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, heart rate fluctuations, sleep problems, memory problems, nervousness, anxiety, and other neurological disorders. Thirty-one patients who reported symptoms related to previous COVID-19 disease of both sexes were enrolled in the initial program. The patients underwent compression sessions in a multiplace hyperbaric chamber. Each patient underwent a cycle of 15 compressions. Before the first session, each participant completed a venous blood gas test, a Fullerton test, and two spirometry tests (one before the Fullerton test and one after the test). Patients completed psychotechnical tests, a questionnaire on quality of life (Polish version of EQ-5D-5L), and a questionnaire on specific symptoms accompanying the disease and post-infection symptoms. The results showed significant improvements in areas such as quality of life, endurance and strength, some spirometric parameters, the anion gap and lactate levels, working memory, and attention in the group of treated patients. In contrast, there were no changes in pH, pO2, pCO2, glucose, and excess alkaline values. A follow-up interview confirmed that the beneficial effects were maintained over time. Considering the results obtained, including the apparent improvement in the patient's clinical condition, it can be concluded that the use of 15 compression sessions was temporarily associated with a noticeable improvement in health and performance parameters as well as improvement in certain blood gas parameters.

Thermal imaging and planimetry evaluation of the results of chronic wounds treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

BACKGROUND: One of the methods to treat chronic wounds is the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO). Objective measurement of the wound surface is an important element in the process of monitoring and predicting the progress of treatment. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on ulcer wound healing in patients with chronic venous insufficiency ulcers and diabetic foot syndrome using thermal imaging and computerized planimetry. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During a 3-year period, 284 digital computer planimetry measurements were gathered from 142 patients treated for leg ulcers caused by chronic venous insufficiency and ulcers from diabetic foot syndrome at HBOT Unit of the Dr Stanislaw Sakiel Centre for Burns Treatment in Siemianowice Slaskie (Poland). Each patient took 30 HBOT sessions using a Haux multiplace HBO chamber at a pressure of 2.5 atmospheres absolute (ATA). The results of the treatment were monitored by thermovision and computerassisted planimetry measurements performed before and after HBOT. RESULTS: Both groups of patients exhibited a reduction in the surface and perimeter of the wound after HBOT. The treatment effects were also confirmed by thermal imaging. The areas calculated from thermal imaging and planimetry are different but correlated. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that a combination of thermal imaging and planimetry may enhance the diagnosis as well as provide the physician with more information about therapy effects.

Computerized planimetry evaluation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of diabetic foot.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot ulcer is one of the major complications of diabetes mellitus in adults. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to conduct a planimetry evaluation of the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the treatment of patients with vascular disorders caused by diabetic foot. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 94 patients, 30 females (32%) and 64 males (68%), aged 33-76 years, with diabetes lasting 1.5-32 years, who underwent HBOT due to diabetic foot. All patients from that group underwent vascular procedures prior to HBOT. In qualifying patients for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, transcutaneous oximetry method was applied (30-60 exposures in hyperbaric oxygen at pressure of 2.5 ATA). Progress in wound healing was evaluated by computerized planimetry system IRIS 4. RESULTS: In 26 patients the wounds were completely closed and in 37 patients the topical state was significantly improved - the wound surface decreased by 34% in average. During the treatment, in 11 patients amputation of fingers and metatarsal necrotic bones was performed, while in 9 patients amputation was prevented. CONCLUSIONS: A planimetry evaluation showed that the application of HBOT in the treatment of diabetic foot enhances foot ulcer healing, reduces tissue damage, contributes to the reduction of complications related to soft tissue and bone infections.

Alterations in taste perception as a result of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

The present study evaluates the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on taste sensitivity, hedonic perception of taste, and food preferences. The studied groups included 197 people in total (79 in the study group; 118 in the control group). All patients from the study group were treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy due to chronic non-healing wounds. The control group consisted of healthy people, who did not receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The taste intensity, recognition thresholds, and hedonic perception were examined using gustatory tests. The aqueous solutions of sucrose for sweet, sodium chloride for salty, citric acid for sour, quinine hydrochloride for bitter, and monosodium glutamate for umami taste were used. The participants fulfilled the questionnaire to examine pleasure derived from eating certain types of dishes. Gustatory tests and analyses of the pleasure derived from eating in the study group were carried out before the first exposure to hyperbaric oxygen and then at the end of therapy, after at least 25 sessions of treatment. In the control group, examination of perception of taste sensations was conducted only once. The results of comparing patients with non-healing wounds with healthy people are characterized by reduced taste sensitivity. After participation in hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the improvement in perception of taste sensations and changes in hedonic evaluation have occurred among patients with non-healing wounds. In terms of food preference, a decreased desire for eating sweet desserts, chocolate, and crisps was observed in those patients who received hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

[Respiratory tract burn injuries]. / Oparzenia dróg oddechowych.

Respiratory tract burns are one of the most serious injuries of human organism. They often accompany severe skin burns, increasing morbidity and mortality. Pathologic events happening in the lungs in the course of inhalation injury consist of: edema and necrosis of bronchial mucosa, increase of bronchial blood flow and vascular permeability, recruitment of inflammatory mediators, and obturation of bronchial tract with the casts composed of mucus, tissue debris, neutrophils and fibrin. The above mentioned processes lead to progressive disturbances of pulmonary gas exchange and tissue hypoxia. Introduction of standardized bronchoscopic procedures resulted in the possibility of early diagnosis and treatment of inhalation injuries. There are many treatment options, some of them combined with early and late complications, the optimal treatment protocol is still lacking. Early hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one of the most promising methods of treatment leading to decrease of mortality due to inhalation injury.

[Clinical aspects of hyperbaric oxygenation]. / Kliniczne aspekty hiperbarii tlenowej.

Authors have presented methods of hyperbaric treatment used in the clinical settings. They have commented on the problem of oxygen toxicity, oxygen poisoning and indications and contraindications to hyperbaric oxygenation. In spite of side effects and possible complications, HBO can be a valuable method of treatment of many diseases. This method should be initiated in due time, after proper qualification of patients and by using the treatment protocol appropriate for every patient.