Vasomotor Effects of Transcutaneous CO2 in Stage II Peripheral Occlusive Arterial Disease

Abstract

Vasomotor effects of skin exposure to carbon dioxide (CO2) have been described in normal subjects. It was of interest, therefore, to determine whether percutaneous CO2 is of therapeutic benefit. In a randomized, double-blind study, 10 patients with lower limb arteriopathy (stage II) were investigated before and after local exposure for twenty minutes to CO2-rich spa gas or to water-vapor-saturated air at the same temperature as that CO2-rich spa gas. Brachial and femoral blood flows, brachial and posterior tibial artery pressures, heart rate, and chest and foot transcutaneous oxygen tensions (tcPO2) were determined. Femoral blood flow, tibial pressure, and foot tcPO2 were significantly increased after exposure of the skin to CO2-rich spa gas. This effect was not accompanied with systemic hemodynamic modifications. Water-vapor-saturated air had no effect. These results suggest that transfer of CO2 across the skin can have beneficial local vasomotor effects in patients with lower limb stage II arteriopathy.

Spinal cord transection inhibits HR reduction in anesthetized rats immersed in an artificial CO2-hot spring bath

“…Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) balneotherapy using hot springs containing free CO 2 at concentrations above 1 g·L -1 (ppm) (CO 2 -hot spring) has long been clinically applied to improve cardiovascular symptoms (Savin et al 1995;Toriyama et al 2002). The effects of percutaneously applied CO 2 -hot spring water on humans have been documented (Diji 1959;Schnizer et al 1985), and the list of effects now includes heart rate (HR) reduction, a slight decrease in blood pressure, and increased blood flow in the skin (Dorrance 1940;McClellan and Doulin 1944).…”

Carboxytherapy - a non-invasive method in aesthetic medicine and dermatology, and the combined usage of carboxytherapy and PRP in the periorbital area

“…Since then, the number of publications dealing with carboxytherapy has been increasing every year, advocating the great effects of this therapeutic modality. In balneotherapy, the said "gas injections" are applied predominantly to treat joint problems and impaired blood circulation in the lower extremities (ischemic disease) and in the skin of diabetic patients, but also in some patients with systemic vascular diseases and diseases of the heart (bradycardia, low blood pressure) [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. In the last two years, however, this treatment modality has become the centre of attention as a unique method applicable in dermatology, aesthetic dermatology and anti-aging medicine [1][2][3][4][5][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19].…”

“…This effect combined with the changed activity of nerve endings improves the trophicity of the treated localities. At the same time, oxidation of fats from the fatty cells is activated, whereby some authors state that there is direct lipolytic effect on adipocytes [6,8,9,12,20]. The residual CO 2 is exhaled by the lungs.…”

“…The residual CO 2 is exhaled by the lungs. Other effects of carboxytherapy, the overall effects are also described, which lead to dilatation of coronary arteries, bradycardia and decreased blood pressure [8].…”

“…Carboxytherapy is also effective in the therapy of some symptoms of flexural psoriasis, especially in combination with traditional methods, in circumscript sclerodermia, or in alopecia difusa and alopecia areata [1][2][3][4]8,10,14,[16][17][18].…”