title: [Cohort study of hyperbaric oxygention (HBO) in controlling hypermyotonia caused by spinal cord injury].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical effects of hyperbaric oxygention (HBO) in treating hypermyotonia caused by spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  From March 2009 to April 2011, 80 patients with hypermyotonia caused by SCI were divided into treatment group and control group, with 40 cases in each group. There were 49 males and 31 females with an average age of (34.12 +/- 6.61) years (ranged, 17 to 60) in the study. Course of disease was from 14 to 30 d with an average of (20.16 +/- 5.08) d. The patients of the treatment group were treated with HBO, rehabilitation exercise and baclofen medication. With pressure of HBO was 2ATA, the treatment project including mask oxygen-inspiration for 20 minutes and resting 5 min, repeating 3 circulations as once, once every day and 10 times as a course of treatment, a total of 6 courses. In the control group, the patients were only treated with rehabilitation exercise and baclofen medication. Course of treatment was same with treatment group. The muscular tensions of patients were evaluated according to method of Modified Ashworth scale (MAS) at 3 courses and 6 courses after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 3 courses of treatment,5 cases were effective in treatment group and 4 cases were effective in control group. There was no significant difference between two groups. After 6 courses of treatment, 24 cases were effective and 5 cases were obvious effective in treatment group; 14 cases were effective and 2 cases were obvious effective in control group. Clinical effect of treatment group was better than that of control group after 6 courses of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HBO was effective to controlling hypermyotonia caused by SCI, it can be used widely as a routine adjuvant therapy in clinic, but adequate course of treatment is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Jinhua Central Hospital, Jinhua 321000, Zhejiang, China. lalan5190@163.com
authors.forename: Ai-Lan
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xia-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Mei-Fei
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009122:Muscle Hypertonia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*