Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Have a Role in Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy ?

Objectives: To determine if hyperbaric oxygen therapy could benefit patients with diabetic autonomic neuropathy treated at our hospital. Methods: Thirty-one consecutive patients, who were treated at Princess Haya Hospital and Prince Hahim Bin Abdullah II hospital from January 2012 to April 2014, were included. Four tests of autonomic function were carried out on all patients before and after treatment in the hyperbaric recompression chamber. Data analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 17 and stata version 10. Results: Twenty male and eleven female patients were included, with a mean age of 53.6 years. About 84% had Type II diabetes. Seventy-one percent of patients were found to have greater than or equal to three abnormal tests prior to treatment, and the risk of autonomic neuropathy was found to be independent of patients' sex, age, type or duration of diabetes. A statistically significant improvement was found in all tests after hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The improvement in parasympathetic function was found to be more likely affected by the number of sessions than sympathetic function (P value 0.001 and 0.07, respectively) Conclusion: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a promising technology in the treatment of diabetic autonomic neuropathy. Further research which includes a control group is needed.