Objective  To investigate the therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygen on delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP) and its influence on electroencephalogram.

Methods  A total of 98 with DEACMP patients were selected as study objects, and were randomly divided into observation group and control group, with 49 patients in each group. The control group was given routine treatment, and the observation group was given hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the basis of the control group, the treatment was continuously lasted for 2 months. Clinical efficacy, cognitive function mini-mental State Examination(MMSE) and daily living abilityActivities of Daily Living (ADL), pathological condition of white matter, electroencephalogram abnormalities, cerebral blood flow velocity pretherapy and post-treatment were compared. The expression levels of peripheral blood mononuclear nuclear fack-κB (NF-κB), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), Th1 cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-2 and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-10) were compared between the two groups.

Results  The effective rate of treatment in the observation group was 81.63%, which was higher than 61.22% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). After treatment, the MMSE score of the two groups was higher than that before treatment, the ADL score was lower than that before treatment, and the MMSE score of the observation group was higher than that of the control group, the ADL score was lower than that of the control group, the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The white matter lesions and EEG abnormalities in the two groups were alleviated when compared with those before treatment, and the above indexes in the observation group were lighter than those in the control group, differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). There were no significant difference in blood flow velocity of the brain between the two groups after treatment (P > 0.05). The levels of NF-κB in peripheral blood mononuclear cell, MMP-9, IL-2 and IFN-γ after treatment in the observation group were significantly lower than before treatment, and were lower in the observation group than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were significantly higher than before treatment, and were higher in the observation group than those in the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion  Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in DEACMP patients has better efficacy. It can effectively improve the cognitive function and the ability of daily living, reduce the white matter damage and electroencephalogram abnormalities, regulate NF-κB pathway, and inhibit the over-activated immune inflammatory response.