2 articles
Ozone therapy can be used as a monotherapy or as an adjunctive treatment to standard COVID-19 treatment protocols. Current evidence indicates that this approach may improve clinical outcomes, paraclinical markers, and reduce radiological signs of inflammation, with no side effects.
he study included 100 consecutive patients aged 18 and older with COVID-19, admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at the Institute of Emergency Medicine. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: 50 patients underwent treatment according to the National Clinical Protocol along with major ozonated autohemotherapy (the study group), while the other 50 patients were treated only according to the National Clinical Protocol (the control group).
Although the initial oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2) values were similar in both study groups, a dynamic analysis revealed a clear efficacy of ozone therapy. By the end of the first-week treatment, the mean oxygenation index in the ozone-treated group was significantly higher than in the standard treatment group: 296.8±105.1 mm Hg versus 232.8±110.6 mm Hg (p<0.01). The use of oxygen therapy (70.0% vs. 78.0%), non-invasive ventilation (70.0% vs. 76.0%), and invasive mechanical ventilation (22.0% vs. 38.0%) tended to be lower in the ozone group, though this difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Both treatment groups showed a significant clinical improvement, with 54.0% of COVID-19 patients in the ozone group and 50.0% in the conventional treatment group achieving a two-point reduction in clinical severity score (p>0.05).
The mean oxygenation index significantly increased in the study patient group (246.86±30.3 mm Hg on day 1 and 296.75±105.1 mm Hg on day 7 of treatment; p<0.01) and remained unchanged in the control group (235.86±33.4 mm Hg on day 1 and 232.82±110.6 mm Hg on day 7 of treatment; p>0.05). Although the mortality rate was lower among COVID-19 patients treated with ozone therapy (24.0%) compared to those receiving standard treatment (34.0%), this difference did not achieve any statistical significance.
Oxygen-ozone therapy stands as a medically endorsed practice confirmed by numerous international clinical studies. Various authors have illustrated the beneficial clinical outcomes of ozone therapy in terms of its capacity to regulate redox balance, cellular inflammatory responses, and adaptation to ischemia/reperfusion processes. Ozone therapy extends to encompass a range of viral infections, inflammatory disorders, and degenerative ailments, used as both monotherapy and as an adjunct to unified conventional therapies.
Narrative literature review study. Bibliographic search was conducted using the PubMed, Hinari, and SpringerLink databases, as well as the National Center of Biotechnology Information and Medline. Articles published between 1990 and 2022 were selected using various combinations of keywords, including “ozone”, “ozone therapy”, “mechanisms of ozone action”, “biological effects of ozone”, “antioxidant effect”, “anti-inflammatory effect” and “immunomodulatory effect.” Information regarding ozone's mechanisms of action was identified and processed. Following the database information processing and search criteria, a total of 475 full-text articles were found. The final bibliography consists of 52 relevant sources that were deemed representative of the materials published on the topic of this synthesis article.
The effects of ozone on oxygen metabolism are explained by changes in the rheological properties of blood, including inhibition of erythrocyte aggregation and stimulation of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in erythrocytes, favoring the transport and delivery of oxygen to tissues while facilitating the substantial elimination of nitric oxide and increasing blood flow. Intracellular triatomic oxygen enhances the oxidative carboxylation of pyruvate, stimulating ATP production, which also contributes to reducing peripheral vascular resistance.
Ozone generates a moderate oxidative stress. Yet, it can set off several beneficial biochemical mechanisms that reactivate both the intra- and extracellular antioxidant systems and reverse chronic oxidative stress in various inflammatory and degenerative processes. Ozone induces a mild activation of the immune system by triggering neutrophil activation and stimulating the synthesis of certain cytokines (IL-2, TNF-α, IL-6, and IFN-γ), thereby initiating a complete cascade of immune responses. Ozone therapy yields the following biological reactions: optimization of blood circulation and oxygen delivery to ischemic tissue, regulation of cellular antioxidant enzymes, initiation of a slight immune system activation, and enhancing the release of growth factors.