[Lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant system in the therapeutic effect of hypobaric hypoxia in patients with neurologic manifestations of lumbar osteochondrosis].

The hypobaric therapeutic effect dependence on the initial state of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and on its short-term activation after 3-4 sessions has been shown. The peroxidation action of hypobaric therapy (HBT) was consistent with a substantial increase of the correlation coefficient and regression between diene conjugates (DC) and tocopherol as well as a decrease of ascorbic acid and glutathione peroxidase activity. LPO activation did not take place in patients without changes in the clinical symptoms. Clinical improvement was shown by 94% of patients with the initial content of DC less than 2 o. u/ml. At higher DC values the therapeutic effect was lacking in 50% of cases and in 14% of cases where HBT was employed in combination with unithiol++. The normal level of LPO did not require the use of antioxidants in HBT. Recommendations have been made for differentiated use of HBT and of HBT plus antioxidants. The role of the prooxidant action of HBT in the formation of adaptation mechanisms is discussed.