OBJECTIVE: To analyze the efficacy and associated factors affecting the prognosis in patients with disturbance of consciousness after hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment.
METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC) receiving HBO treatment from January to January 2022 in the Second Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, China.
RESULTS: HBO therapy improved the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Chinese Nanjing Persistent Vegetative State Scale (CNPVSS), as well as the clinical efficacy in patients with DOC. The comparison of GCS and CNPVSS scores in patients with DOC before and after HBO treatment was all statistically significant, with 325 patients (67.1%) showing effective results and 159 patients (32.9%) having unchanged outcomes. Univariate analysis indicated that there were statistically significant differences in age, HBO intervention time, HBO treatment times, pre-treatment GCS score, and etiology and underlying diseases between the good and poor prognoses groups. Multivariate regression analysis showed that HBO intervention time ≤7 days, HBO treatment ＞ times, high GCS score before HBO treatment, and brain trauma were independent influencing factors in achieving a good prognosis for patients with DOC. Low pre-treatment GCS scores were an independent risk factor for a poor prognosis in patients with brain trauma while being male, late HBO intervention time, fewer HBO treatment times, and low pre-treatment GCS scores were independent risk factors for a poor prognosis in patients with DOC after a stroke. Being ≥50 years of age, late HBO intervention time, and low pre-treatment GCS scores were independent risk factors for a poor prognosis in patients with DOC after hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.
CONCLUSIONS: HBO therapy can improve the GCS, CNPVSS scores and clinical efficacy in patients with DOC, and the timing of HBO intervention ≤7 days, times of HBO treatment, high pre-treatment GCS score, and brain trauma were the independent influencing factors of good prognosis in patients with DOC.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of early mobilization with a physiatrist and registered therapist Operating rehabilitation (PROr) for patients with stroke and severe disturbance of consciousness (DoC).
METHODS: We retrospectively screened records from patients with stroke admitted to our hospital from January 2015 to June 2021. Eligible patients with severe DoC were classified into two groups: patients who received standard rehabilitation (control group) and patients who received PROr (PROr group). We studied longitudinal change in the level of consciousness using the Japan Coma Scale (JCS) during hospital stay and compared in-hospital mortality, the incidence of respiratory complication, and modified Rankin Scale of discharge between the two groups.
RESULTS: Among the 2191 patients screened for inclusion, 16 patients were included in the PROr group, and 12 patients were included in the control group. Early mobilization was more promoted in the PROr group compared to the control group, but there were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality, the incidence of respiratory complication, or modified Rankin Scale at discharge between the two groups. In patients who survived during their hospital stay, JCS scores 2 weeks after the onset of stroke and JCS scores at discharge significantly improved from the start of rehabilitation in the PROr group, but not in the control group.
CONCLUSIONS: Early mobilization provided with the PROr program appears to be a safe treatment and may contribute to the improvement of consciousness level for patients with acute stroke and severe DoC.

OBJECTIVE: Delirium signifies underlying brain dysfunction; however, its clinical significance in hemodialysis remains unclear. In this study, we sought to determine whether the occurrence of delirium during hemodialysis was associated with higher mortality.
METHODS: This was a retrospective, 10-year cohort study. This study was performed at the urology department located within a hospital in Oyokyo, Hirosaki. We analyzed 338 of 751 patients who underwent hemodialysis. Psychiatrists diagnosed patients with delirium according to the corresponding DSM-IV-TR criteria. Cox proportional hazard regression, which was adjusted for patient age at the time of hemodialysis initiation, sex, and the presence of diabetes mellitus, was performed. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% CIs were also reported.
RESULTS: In total, 286 patients without psychiatric diseases and 52 patients with delirium were evaluated. Eighty percent of patients with delirium died within 1 year of hemodialysis initiation, while only 22% of patients without delirium died within the same time period (P<0.01). Kaplan-Meier plots demonstrated the existence of associations between delirium and all-cause mortality (global log-rank P<0.001), cardiovascular disease-related mortality (global log-rank P<0.001), and infection-related mortality (global log-rank P<0.001). Moreover, Cox proportional hazard regression showed that delirium was associated with all-cause mortality (HR=1.96, 95% CI: 1.32-2.90), cardiovascular disease-related mortality (HR=2.65, 95% CI: 1.31-5.35), and infection-related mortality (HR=3.30, 95% CI: 1.34-8.10).
CONCLUSIONS: Delirium is an independent predictor of death in patients undergoing hemodialysis.