Abstract
Background: Stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide; therefore, finding efficient alternative treatments to control the disease and improve patients’ neurological symptoms is of paramount importance. The current study aimed to investigate the efficacy of adding ozone therapy to classic treatment in improving neurological symptoms and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) as well as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HS-CRP) in the rehabilitation phase of patients with ischemic stroke.
Materials and Methods: This interventional study was performed on 72 patients with stroke. Using Random Allocation Software, the participants were divided into two groups: control (medical treatment and physiotherapy, n=36) and intervention (ozone therapy plus medical treatment and physiotherapy, n=36). Ozone therapy was performed by major autohemotherapy using the standard protocol. Disease severity was determined by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) at the beginning and end of the study. TNF-α and HS-CRP serum levels were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This research project was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20200202046342N1).
Results: The results of the study showed a significant decrease in the NIHSS score and HS-CRP as well as TNF-ɑ serum levels in the patients receiving both classic and ozone treatments compared to those receiving only classic treatment (P<0.001).
Conclusion: According to the study results, ozone therapy combined with medical treatment improved neurological symptoms in the rehabilitation phase of patients with ischemic stroke.