Oxygen-ozone treatment improves p50 std value in patients with peripheral vascular disease

In our previous study [1] we demonstrated that the ozonized auto-hemotransfusion increases erythrocyte filterability and reduces plasma and total blood viscosity, thus supporting the theory that the ozone-induced improvement of peripheral vascular disorders (PVD) might be related to its influence on the hemorheologic properties of blood. Given that oxygen delivery to tissues is dependent on its affinity for hemoglobin, in the present study we evaluated the effect of oxygen-ozone treatment on hemoglobin oxygen affinity in 15 patients suffering from PVD (clinical stage IV according to Fontaine). Before and 30 min after slow reinfusion of 150 ml of autologous venous blood exposed in a glass box to an O2-O3 mixture (3.6 mg of total ozone erogation with a Multiossigen Medical 93 Multi Tech Milano, Italy) we evaluated hemoglobin oxygen affinity using p50 STD value. This value is defined as oxygen tension in mmHg at 50% oxygen saturation, at pH 7.4, at 37°C and at pCO2 40 ± 2 mmHg and is calculated according to the formula: p50 std = antilog [log p02 (log s02/2.7) - 0.4 (7.4-pH)]. The value of 2,3 diphosophoglycerate (2,3 DPG), an important regulator of oxygen unloading were also evaluated before and after ozone treatment. Control studies in the same patients were done in other occasions and random order to test the influence of blood manipulation (non-ozonized autotransfusion). The results (Table) show that after ozone treatment, p50 value increased (P < 0.005), whereas plasma value of 2,3 DPG did not significantly change. No significant changes were induced by control tests (non-ozonized autohemotransfusions). These results strengthen the conclusions of our previous `in vitro' study [2] proving that the ozone treatment shifts to right the oxygen hemoglobin dissociation, ultimately resulting in improved tissue oxygenation.