Hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) as a complementary treatment of patients with multibacillary lepromatous leprosy

Abstract

144 patients with multibacillary lepromatous leprosy and 20 healthy volunteers underwent HBO therapy (with 3 Ata during 1.5 hours, including compression and decompression) on 2 to 21 consecutive days. The metabolic quotient (i.e. oxygen consumprion by tissues), the blood level of adenosintrisphosphate and the serum levels of lipase showed trends towards normalisation, mainly in patients on antimicrobial drug therapy. Involution in lepromas on ultrastructure examination and improvements in the clinical conditions were found. HBO may evolve to a useful adjucnt to chemotherapy in lepromatous leprosy.