Clinical efficacy of ozonated autohemotherapy in hemodialyzed patients with intermittent claudication: An oxygen-controlled study

Background: Hemodialyzed patients are particularly exposed to the development of peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Ozonotherapy is used as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of this atherosclerotic complication, but there are still no properly designed studies to show the clinical effectiveness of this approach. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of ozonated autohemotherapy on walking ability and the subjective clinical experience of hemodialyzed patients with peripheral arterial disease. Methods: Ten subjects with intermittent claudication (Fontain II stage) received the cycle of ozonated autohemotherapy with ozone concentration of 50 mug/ml and the cycle of oxygen autohemotherapy as a control in a cross-over, single-blind manner. Pain-free distance, and maximal walking distance were measured using a standardized march test, on a treadmill. The efficacy of therapy was assessed subjectively by patients on a five-degree scale. Results: Significant prolongation of maximal waking distance after ozonated autohemotherapy was found, as compared to the baseline (by 30.5%) and to the oxygen control (by 22.7%) (p < 0.01 and p < 0.03). There was also significant increase in pain-free distance after ozonated autohemotherapy, as compared to the baseline (by 71.7%) and to the oxygen control (by 62.8% ) (p < 0.02 and p < 0.03 respectively). In a subjective. assessment (questionnaires) 90% of patients reported clinical improvement relative to the baseline after ozonated autohemotherapy as compared to 40% after the oxygen-control treatment (p < 0.025). Conclusion: We demonstrated that ozonated autohemotherapy might prolong walking ability and attenuate subjective clinical signs of ischemia in patients with peripheral arterial disease treated regularly with hemodialysis.