Extracorporeal blood oxygenation and ozonation (EBOO): a controlled trial in patients with peripheral artery disease.
BACKGROUND
Since 1990 our group has been using extracorporeal circulation to ozonate blood by an original method, known as extracorporeal blood oxygenation and ozonation (EBOO), with the aim of amplifying the results observed with ozone autohemotherapy.


OBJECTIVE
To verify the hypothesis that EBOO improves the skin lesions typical of peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients.


METHODS
Twenty-eight patients with PAD were randomized to receive EBOO or intravenous prostacyclin in a controlled clinical trial. The primary efficacy parameters were regression of skin lesions and pain,and improvement in quality of life and vascularisation.


RESULTS
Patients treated with EBOO showed highly significant regression of skin lesions with respect to patients treated with prostacyclin. Other parameters that were significantly different in the two groups of patients were pain,pruritus, heavy legs and well-being. No significant differences in vascularisation of the lower limbs before and after treatment were found in either group. No side effects or complications were recorded during the 210 EBOO treatments.


CONCLUSIONS
EBOO was much more effective than prostacyclin for treating skin lesions in PAD patients and also had a positive effect on patient general condition without any apparent change in arterial circulation. This suggests other mechanisms of action of EBOO.
Di Paolo
N
N
Nephrology and Dialysis Department, University Hospital of Siena, Siena--Italy. n.dipaolo@ao-siena.toscana.it
Bocci
V
V
Salvo
D P
DP
Palasciano
G
G
Biagioli
M
M
Meini
S
S
Galli
F
F
Ciari
I
I
Maccari
F
F
Cappelletti
F
F
Di Paolo
M
M
Gaggiotti
E
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010126:Ozone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D010126:Ozone; D011464:Epoprostenol