Normobaric Hyperoxia Therapy in Treating Stroke.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Normobaric hyperoxia (NBO) is a standard oxygenation therapy for stroke.
• Its neuroprotective mechanisms in various stroke types require further elucidation.
• Optimizing NBO treatment is crucial for clinical benefit.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the neuroprotective mechanisms of NBO in acute ischemic stroke (AIS), intracranial hemorrhage, and chronic cerebral ischemia.
• To evaluate NBO's efficacy when combined with other therapies.
• To identify optimal patient selection criteria for NBO therapy.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on NBO in stroke models and clinical trials.
• Analysis of NBO's effects on brain oxygen partial pressure (PaO2).
• Examination of molecular pathways and cellular responses to NBO.

Main Results:

• NBO increases brain tissue oxygenation, activating protective molecular pathways.
• NBO preconditioning and postconditioning confer neuroprotection, particularly with reperfusion.
• NBO enhances recanalization therapies and shows promise with adjunct medications.

Conclusions:

• NBO is a safe and effective stroke therapy, especially for patients with penumbra or hypoxic tissue.
• Reperfusion is critical for NBO's beneficial effects in acute ischemic stroke.
• Combination therapies and careful patient selection can optimize NBO outcomes.