Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) appears to enhance wound healing, increase bactericidal activity, and act synergistically with a number of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of HBOT as an adjunctive therapy in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) treated with a combination of systemic rifampicin and clindamycin. The study was a prospective, single-center, single-dose, open-label, randomized controlled clinical study of HBOT in patients with moderate to severe HS. Efficacy was measured by modified Sartorius score (SS), HS Severity Index (HSSI), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), and a visual analog scale (VAS) before treatment and after the completion of 4 and 10 weeks of treatment. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were also measured. Forty-three patients were enrolled in the study. More patients in the HBOT than in the control group showed a decrease of ≥50% from baseline parameters at week 10 for SS (100%), HSSI (100%), DLQI (95.5%), VAS (100%), ESR (100%), and CRP (72.7%). Clinically and statistically significant improvements from baseline were observed at 4 and 10 weeks in HSSI (P = 0.009 at both), SS (P = 0.021 at both), and DLQI (P = 0.044 at week 4, P = 0.009 at week 10). Adjunctive HBOT was considered to be effective in significantly improving antibiotic treatment of HS. The treatment was well tolerated, and no unexpected safety issues were identified.

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Introduction: Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) is one of the treatment modalities for retinal artery occlusion (RAO). HBOT may be beneficial if initiated within 2-12 hours of onset of symptoms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of HBOT on the patients who had applied to our center for HBOT with an RAO diagnose. Methods: Sixteen patients were included in this study for a three-year period those were applied HBOT with RAO diagnosis. HBOT sessions of these patients had been started as quick as possible soon after they have arrived. Also, all patients had been started medication by ophthalmologists who sent them. To evaluate the outcome of the treatment the patients were called with telephone and ophthalmology clinic control examinations were obtained. Patients were asked survey questions about their visual ameliorations before and after HBOT. Results: Mean initiation duration of patients to get HBOT was about 28 hours. Only one patient has initiated treatment after 13 days from the event and no visual improvement was recorded. Within this patient, no visual amelioration was recorded for two more patients. Among the other 13 patients, three had 80% and more, three had 50-79% and seven had below 50% visual amelioration. Eleven of 13 patients had peripheral visual field amelioration. Discussion: With the medical treatment, an immediate intervention of HBOT was considered a useful treatment modality for RAO. The visual improvement of the visual fields was considered especially in the peripheral vision rather than central vision.

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Simulated flight in a hypobaric chamber is a fundamental component in the physiological training of aviators. Although rare, there is always a risk of decompression sickness (DCS) in trainees during hypobaric hypoxia training. In this study we aimed to determine the incidence of altitude-induced DCS and the symptoms manifested in trainees and inside chamber observers (ICOs) during the training sessions. We retrospectively reviewed the records of DCS cases during the period of January 1, 2011, and October 1, 2018. The records of 6,657 trainees and 615 ICOs were evaluated. The gender distribution in 6,657 trainees was 6,578 (98.81%) male and 79 (1.19%) female. The numbers of DCS cases in trainees and ICOs were six (0.09%) and two (0.33%), respectively [(ICOs versus trainees – odds ratio (OR): 3.574; 95% CI 0.720–17.744; (p > 0.05)]. All ICOs were male; no DCS incident was observed among female trainees. Recompression treatments were applied on site, and complete recovery was achieved in all cases. Overall DCS incidence was found to be 0.11% among the 7,193 male subjects, which included trainees and ICOs. The higher incidence of DCS in ICOs was attributed to the physical activities performed at altitudes by ICOs. In such training, established instructions have to be strictly followed by physicians, ICOs and trainees. All trainees and ICOs should be aware of the symptoms and signs of DCS, and medical support including a recompression facility, should be provided on site during hypobaric hypoxia training.

Background: Smoking may impair oxygen transport ability of blood and airway destructions might be seen in long term smokers. After 1-3 cigarette smoking, it leads to a rise in carboxyhemoglobin level in blood, and it has a negative effect such as taking extra 5,000-8,000 feet altitude. Thus, it is thought that smoking before or in-flight may contribute to altitude hypoxia. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of smoking on acute hypobaric hypoxia tolerance at 30,000 ft. simulated altitude. Materials and Methods:This study was planned prospectively, and a standardized survey that consisted of smoking status and demographic characteristics of subjects was applied before the procedures. Aircrews are exposed to high altitude during "Hypobaric Hypoxia Training" in an altitude chamber. Pulse oximeter measurements were done to analyze oxygen saturations during different stages of the hypoxia trainings.Results: Seventy eight male healthy aircrews were included in this study. Twenty five (32.1%) of subjects stated that they were currently smoking (4.9±2.6 years). Hypoxic pulse oximeter mean values of the Nonsmoker Group were higher than those of the Smoker Group (p>0.05). The three most frequently checked symptoms were numbness, tingling and perspiration among all participants. Flushing was the most frequent symptom in the Smoker Group while numbness was the most frequent symptom in the Nonsmoker Group. Both early and late symptoms among pilots were higher in the Smoker Group (p>0.05). More symptoms were checked among smokers during hypoxia exposure in this study(p>0.05). Conclusion:Our results might be attributed to hypoxia sensitiveness of smokers, and the use of tobacco products by aviation personnel was considered to be disadvantage in aviation environment. Because of this, doctors who carry out aviation examinations and practise preventive medicine in aviation field should be aware of the importance of this issue. The influences of carboxyhemoglobin on hypoxia tolerance might be better observed at lower altitudes if this study would have been redone at 18,000 and 25,000 simulated altitudes.

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