Vol 75, No 3 (2024)
Original article
Published online: 2024-09-30
Critical flicker fusion frequency results during oxygen decompression in standard HBOT session — observational study
Abstract
Most hyperbaric medicine reports concentrate on the patient and his morbidities. In addition to
the well-known indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), we cannot discount possible side effects.
Among medical staff regularly exposed to hyperbaric conditions the best described so far is decompression
sickness. A non-invasive and easily available way to assess cognitive functioning involves the use of the critical
flicker fusion frequency (CFFF) test. In the current study, the flicker test was performed several times
on 21 subjects, both under normobaric and hyperbaric conditions. The test was conducted using the device
that flickering was programmed according to the method of limits. While in the hyperbaric chamber,
15 of the participants breathed oxygen to reduce the risk of decompression sickness. Flicker and fusion
frequencies differed from each other in both normo- and hyperbaric conditions (p < 0.01). CFFF results
were dependent on oxygen breathing during decompression.
Keywords: flicker testcritical flicker fusion frequencyCFFFflickerfusionoxygenhyperbaric oxygen therapy
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