Hyperbaric oxygen for children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy as an adjunctive therapy for children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy. Methods Seventy-one children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy aged 6 mouths to 2 years were randomly assigned to a HBO group ( n = 35 ) or a control group ( n = 36).All children were given conventional rehabilitative treatment, but the children in the HBO group in addition received 40 sessions of HBO therapy. HBO was administered for 1 h with 85% ～ 90% oxygen at 1.4 atmospheres absolute pressure. All the treatments in both groups continued for 8 weeks. Gross motor function was evaluated with a gross motor function measure ( GMFM ), global motor performance was assessed with a psychomotor development index (PDI), and intelligence was assessed with a mental development index (MDI). Clinical assessments were done before and after treatment. At the same time, hearing impairment was measured using brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) in the HBO group. Results All outcomes in both groups improved significantly over the course of study. The average improvement in GMFM in the control group was significantly greater than in the HBO group but other differences were not statistically significant. Hearing impairment developed in 8 children treated with HBO.Conclusion There was no evidence that HBO therapy improved the condition of children with dyskinetic cerebral palsy, and there is a risk of side effects with HBO therapy.