OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy at different pressure levels on aphasia after craniocerebral injury and assess the patient adherence to the therapies.

METHODSThirty-one patients with aphasia after craniocerebral injury receiving 30 sessions of HBO therapy at the pressure level of 0.175 MPa and another 31 patients receiving 0.2 MPa therapy were recruited as the treatment groups 1 and 2, respectively; 31 patients who refused to have HBO therapy served as the control group. All the patients received routine therapy. The therapeutic effects were assessed using Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) before and after the therapy. The WAB item and AQ scores, curative effect, and recovery time of aphasia were compared between the 3 groups.

RESULTSThe total response rate was significantly lower in the control group as compared with those in treatment groups 1 and 2 (58.06% vs 83.87% and 87.1%). WAB item scores and AQ scores, curative effect, and recovery time of aphasia all showed significant differences between the control group and the two treatment groups (P<0.05), but not between the latter 2 groups (P>0.05). Compared with 0.20 MPa HBO therapy, 0.175 MPa HBO therapy showed a better patient adherence with a significantly lowered non-adherence rate (by 31.37%) an increased partial and total adherence rates (by 13.86% and 17.51%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONHBO therapy at the pressure level of 0.175 MPa is more appropriate for treatment of aphasia after craniocerebral injury to ensure the safety, efficacy and patient compliance.