Efficacy of N-Butylphthalide and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients with Delayed Encephalopathy After Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Med Sci Monit. 2017 Mar 29:23:1501-1506. doi: 10.12659/msm.899499.

Abstract

BACKGROUND Delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning (DEACMP) is one of the most serious complications after CO poisoning. This study was conducted to explore the efficacy of the combined application of N-Butylphthalide and hyperbaric oxygenation therapy (HBO) on cognitive dysfunction in patients with DEACMP. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 184 patients with DEACMP were randomly assigned to either receive HBO or N-Butylphthalide and HBO. Meanwhile, all patients received conventional treatment. The total remission rate (RR) was used to assess the clinical efficacy. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to assess the cognitive function, and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to assess the neurological function. RESULTS Finally, there were 90 and 94 patients in the control and experimental groups, respectively. After eight weeks of treatment, the total RR in the experimental group (47.9%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (33.3%). Compared to the control group, significantly more patients in the experimental group had MMSE scores of 24-30. The lower NIHSS score in the experimental group showed that N-Butylphthalide had the effect of preservation and restoration of neurological function. No obvious drug toxicity or liver and kidney dysfunction was observed, and there was no significant change in the level of blood glucose and blood lipids. CONCLUSIONS These results indicated that the combined application of N-Butylphthalide and HBO could significantly improve the cognitive dysfunction of patients with DEACMP and have great clinical efficacy, which should be further studied.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Benzofurans / therapeutic use*
  • Brain Diseases / complications
  • Brain Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Brain Diseases / therapy*
  • Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / complications
  • Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / physiopathology*
  • Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / therapy*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / complications
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / therapy*
  • Demography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hyperbaric Oxygenation / adverse effects
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Remission Induction
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Benzofurans
  • 3-n-butylphthalide