Hyperbaric oxygen, oxygen-ozone therapy, and rheologic parameters of blood in patients with peripheral occlusive arterial disease.

For many years, clinical practice has consolidated the use or both hyperbaric oxygen and oxygen-ozone therapy in the treatment or peripheral occlusive arterial disease (POAD). We investigated the influence or these treatments on hemorrheologic parameters that play an important role in the pathogenesis and the clinical course or arteriosclerosis. Two groups of 15 patients suffering from POAD assigned at random either to a cycle of HBO therapy or O 2 -O 3 therapy, were evaluated for blood viscosity, erythrocyte filterability, hematocrit value, fibrinogen concentration, and thrombin time. The O 2 -O 3 therapy caused a significant increase of erythrocyte filterability and a significant decrease of blood viscosity. By contrast, HBO therapy did not produce any significant change. The increase of lipid peri-oxidation, proved by raised malonyldialdehyde plasma levels, seems a likely mechanism involved in the hemorrheologic effects or O 2 -O 3 therapy