ABSTRACT

There isn’t any retrospective study about the patients that use Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in our country. We aimed to identify the demographic characteristics and distribution of these patients in our region.

The study is definitive and epidemiologic. 460 patients’ file admitted between 27.11.2003-08.01.2007 to Erzurum K›z›lay Medical Center’s HBOT Unit (includes monochamber) examined retrospectively.

442 patients were included in. The mean age was 36.9±19.5 (range 8 months-86 years), 56.6% were men and 81.7% came from Erzurum and its counties. Highest admittance rates were for carbon monoxide intoxication (COI) (45.5%), problematic wound healings (28.7%) and sudden hearing loss (10.6%). Admittance rates for COI differed significantly according to out of Erzurum and in Erzurum locations (15%vs%52; P=0.000). Females admittance rates differed significantly according to locations (out and in Erzurum) (25%vs.48%; P=0.000) and according to diagnosis (COI vs. other diagnoses: %59vs.31%; P=0.000). Admittance of females and patients of COI differed significantly due to mean ages and mean treatment sessions (P=0.008 and P=0.000, in order). Patients from Erzurum with COI increased annually but not for other diagnoses. No increase was present for neither COI nor other diagnoses for patients that came out of Erzurum. There is an increase in both COI and other diagnoses for both sexes between October and December.

HBOT has got considerable role especially in the treatment of COI patients. Further investigation is needed to identify why admittances out of Erzurum are too low and why there is no admittance for the patients with certain indications.

Keywords: Eastern Anatolia, hyperbaric oxygen, carbon monoxide, epidemiology