A hyperbaric oxygen therapy approach to heat stroke with multiple organ dysfunction.

Here in we report the case of a patient who displayed a classic heat stroke with multiple organ dysfunction and hypercoagulable state resistant to conventional whole body cooling and antipyretic therapy, and necessitating the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to rescue him from death. A 49-year-old male laborer, suffering from heat stroke syndromes (e.g., hyperpyrexia, seizure and coma, and hypotension), was admitted to an emergency unit of a medical center hospital. The patient displayed multiple organ dysfunction with rhabdomyolysis, hepatic, renal, respiratory, and cerebral dysfunction, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Both hyperpyrexia and multiple organ dysfunction were resistant to conventional treatment measures. HBOT was adopted to rescue the patient from heat stroke-induced death. Before HBOT, analyses of serum revealed hypercoagulable state or DIC as well as signs of rhabdomyolysis, and renal and hepatic failure. In addition, pulmonary edema, coma, hypotension, and hyperpyrexia occurred. HBOT was used successfully to combat these syndromes and to rescue the patient from heat stroke death. This case suggests that HBOT is useful for treatment of heat stroke with multiple organ dysfunction.

Hyperbaric oxygen causes both antiinflammation and antipyresis in rabbits.

Current study was attempted to assess whether hyperbaric oxygen pretreatment or treatment exerts its antipyresis by reducing circulating interleukin-6 and hypothalamic glutamate, hydroxyl radicals and prostaglandin-E(2) in rabbits. It was found that systemic administration of lipopolysaccharide induced increased levels of both core temperature and hypothalamic levels of glutamate, hydroxyl radicals, and prostaglandin E(2) accompanied by increased plasma levels of interleukin-6. The rise in both the core temperature and hypothalamic glutamate, hydroxyl radicals and prostaglandin-E(2) could also be induced by intracerebroventricular injection of interleukin-6. Pretreatment or treatment with hyperbaric oxygen significantly reduced the lipopolysaccharide-induced overproduction of circulating interleukin-6, and hypothalamic glutamate, prostaglandin E(2), and hydroxyl radicals. The febrile response caused by central administration of interleukin-6 could also be suppressed by hyperbaric oxygen pretreatment or treatment. Simultaneous administration of an anti-oxidant (e.g., N-acetyl-L-cysteine) significantly enhanced the antipyretic effects exerted by hyperbaric oxygen treatment. These results indicate that hyperbaric oxygen pretreatment or treatment may exert its antipyresis by inhibiting the glutamate-hydroxyl radicals-prostaglandin-E(2) pathways in the hypothalamus and circulating interleukin-6 accumulation during lipopolysaccharide-fever.

Characterization of Mycelium-Like Material Formed During Drying of Salt Stock Prunes.

Material with the appearance of mold mycelium was formed on salt stock prunes during drying. The moisture-free mycelium-like material consisted of 98.5 to 98.7% sodium chloride (NaCl), 1.67% organic matter and 0.165% acidity expressed as citric acid. X-ray diffraction analysis of the material revealed a diffraction pattern similar to that of NaCl. Formation of the material was dependent upon the efficiency and extent of drying. However, the material was not observed on deskinned salt stock prunes subjected to drying.