Hydrogen inhalation promotes recovery of a patient in persistent vegetative state from intracerebral hemorrhage: A case report and literature review

Abstract

BACKGROUND Persistent vegetative state (PVS) is a devastating and long-lasting clinical condition with high morbidity and mortality; currently, there are no available effective interventions. CASE SUMMARY We report the case of an 11-year-old boy with PVS caused by severe intracerebral bleeding in the left hemisphere following anticoagulation treatment. The patient’s PVS severity showed no notable improvement after 2-mo neuroprotective treatment and rehabilitation, including nerve growth factor and baclofen, hyperbaric oxygen, and comprehensive bedside rehabilitation therapies. Daily inhalation treatment (4-6 h) of high-concentration hydrogen (H 2 ) gas (66.6% H 2 + 33.3% O 2 ) was provided. Surprisingly, the patient’s orientation, consciousness, ability to speak, facial expressions, and locomotor function were significantly restored, along with improvements in essential general health status, after H 2 gas inhalation treatment, which was consistent with stabilized neuropathology in the left hemisphere and increased Hounsfield unit values of computed tomography in the right hemisphere. The patient finally recovered to a near normal conscious state with a Coma Recovery Scale-Revised Score of 22 from his previous score of 3. CONCLUSION Phase 1 clinical trials are needed to explore the safety and efficacy of H 2 gas inhalation in patients with PVS.

The role of gut microorganisms and metabolites in intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke: a comprehensive review

“…Additionally, it has been found to enhance the expression of downstream anti-inflammatory factor IL10/STAT3 genes, thereby demonstrating its potential to exert anti-inflammatory effects ( Patnala et al, 2017 ). Following ICH, astrocytes undergo activation, thereby modulating the secretion of diverse pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors, ultimately leading to inflammation within the brain ( Huang et al, 2022 ). Butyrate has the ability to interact with angiotensin type I receptors, thereby facilitating the regulation of astrocytes and exerting central anti-inflammatory effects ( Yang et al, 2018 ).…”

The Molecular Biological Mechanism of Hydrogen Therapy and Its Application in Spinal Cord Injury

“…105,106 From the perspective of existing studies and pharmacology, it is easier to quickly obtain a higher dose of hydrogen intake by using a relatively high concentration of hydrogen, which is more likely to produce possible effects. [107][108][109][110] However, blindly pursuing high concentrations may cause unnecessary treatment risks. At present, research on hydrogen medicine lacks a strict dose-effect relationship, which may be one of the key research directions of hydrogen medicine in the future.…”