Slowing the degenerative process, long lasting effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in retinitis pigmentosa

Background Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) therapy is still an unsolved challenge. Recent reports have underlined that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy could play a role in slowing the retinal degenerative process. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of HBO therapy on visual function in RP pat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology 2008-01, Vol.246 (1), p.93-98
Main Authors: Vingolo, Enzo Maria, Rocco, Monica, Grenga, PierLuigi, Salvatore, Serena, Pelaia, Paolo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Case-Control Studies
Electroretinography
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Hyperbaric Oxygenation
Male
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Middle Aged
Ophthalmology
Retina - physiopathology
Retinal Disorders
Retinitis Pigmentosa - physiopathology
Retinitis Pigmentosa - therapy
Visual Acuity - physiology
Visual Fields - physiology
Vitamin A - administration & dosage
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Summary:Background Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) therapy is still an unsolved challenge. Recent reports have underlined that hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy could play a role in slowing the retinal degenerative process. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of HBO therapy on visual function in RP patients. Methods We performed a single-center, comparative, longitudinal case-controlled randomized clinical trial, which lasted 10 years. We randomly divided RP patients into two groups. Group 1, the control group, consisted of 44 RP patients (21 males and 23 females; mean age 35.5) who took Vitamin A. Group 2, with 44 RP patients (21 males and 23 females; mean age 35,02), underwent HBO therapy. No statistically significant difference was found at the beginning of the study between the two groups. We compared the results concerning visual acuity, Goldmann perimetry, static perimetry Humphrey field analyzer (HFA), and electroretinogram (ERG) obtained in the two groups at 5 and 10 years follow-up. Statistical analysis was performed with Kaplan-Meier life-table with the evaluation of log-rank coefficient. Results At 5 year follow-up, 87.5% of group 2 patients preserved 80% of the initial visual acuity, while the same result was achieved in only 70.4% of group 1 patients (X 2  = 8.2; p  
ISSN:0721-832X
1435-702X
DOI:10.1007/s00417-007-0652-z