Objective To analyze the effects of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with hyperbaric oxygen in patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI).

Methods A total of 118 patients with PSCI were randomly divided into observation group (n=59) and control group (n=59). The control group received conventional drug therapy combined with hyperbaric oxygen intervention, and the observation group was treated with high-frequency rTMS on the basis of the control group. Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), Lovingston Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) and Modified Barthel Index (MBI) score were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.

Results During the intervention period, there were no drop-out cases in the observation group, remaining 59 effective cases, and one case in the control group withdrew voluntarily, remaining 58 effective cases. After treatment, the item scores and total scores of MoCA in the two groups were significantly higher than before treatment, and the scores of attention and concentration, delayed memory, language, visuospatial/executive and abstract thinking in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the item scores and total scores of LOTCA Scale in the two groups were significantly higher than before treatment, and the observation group was significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05); the MBI scores in the two groups were significantly higher than before treatment, and the observation group was significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion Compared with hyperbaric oxygen therapy alone, high-frequency rTMS combined with hyperbaric oxygen has significant advantages in improving cognitive impairment and daily living ability in patients with stroke.