Repetitive hyperbaric oxygen treatment increases insulin sensitivity in diabetes patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage.

Aim: The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke is controversial. This study aims to investigate whether the peripheral insulin sensitivity of type 2 diabetes patients suffering from intracerebral hemorrhage can be increased after HBOT.

Methods: Fifty-two type 2 diabetes participants were recruited after being diagnosed with intracerebral hemorrhage in our hospital. Insulin sensitivity was measured by the glucose infusion rate during a hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (80 mU m min) at baseline and 10 and 30 days after HBOT sessions. Serum insulin, fasting glucose, and hemoglobin A1 were measured in fasting serum at baseline and after HBOT sessions. In addition, early (∼10 days after onset) and late (1 month after onset) outcomes (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, NIHSS scores) and efficacy (changes of NIHSS scores) of HBOT were evaluated.

Results: In response to HBOT, the glucose infusion rate was increased by 37.8%±5.76% at 1 month after onset compared with baseline. Reduced serum insulin, fasting glucose, and hemoglobin A1 were observed after HBOT. Both early and late outcomes of the HBOT group were improved compared with baseline (<0.001). In the control group, there was significant difference only in the late outcome (<0.05). In the assessment of efficacy, there were statistically significant differences between the groups when comparing changes in NIHSS scores at 10 days and 1 month after onset (<0.05).

Conclusion: Peripheral insulin sensitivity was increased following HBOT in type 2 diabetes patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. The HBOT used in this study may be effective for diabetes patients with acute stroke and is a safe and harmless adjunctive treatment.