Hyperbaric oxygen therapy of olfactory dysfunction in diabetic neuropathy with type 2 diabetes mellitus and a new definition ``Diabetic Olfactopathy''

Abstract

Background: Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy is recommended as an adjuvant therapy for diabetic neuropathy. To investigate olfactory dysfunction and show the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen treatment in patients with type 2 diabetic neuropathy. Material and Methods: Patients diagnosed with Type 2 DM and diabetic neuropathy were included in the group 1. Patients of Group 1 were administered with a hyperbaric oxygen therapy for 30 sessions and patients who returned for a check up following 30 sessions were incorporated into the Group 2. Healthy volunteers with no medical problems were included in the study as a control group (Group 3). Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research (CCCRC) test and the subjective visual analog scale (VAS0-100) were utilized to evaluate the olfactory function. Results: There was a statistically significant difference both between the control group and the patient group as well as before and after the HBO therapy in terms of total CCCRC scoring averages and VAS Scoring averages. Conclusion: When compared to normal individuals, type 2 diabetic neuropathy can cause an olfactory dysfunction, and a statistically significant improvement in olfaction can be obtained with HBO therapy. This is the first study demonstrating that the HBO therapy can play a role in treating olfactory dysfunctions suffered by the patients with diabetic olfactory neuropathies.