[Efficiency and safety of the integrated use of medical gases thermal heliox, nitric oxide and molecular hydrogen in patients with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated by hypoxemic, hypercapnic respiratory failure and secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension in the post-COVID period].

Aim: To study the efficacy and safety of the combined use of thermal heliox (t-He/O₂), nitric oxide (NO) and molecular hydrogen (H₂) in patients with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated by hypoxemic, hypercapnic respiratory failure (RF) and secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in the post-COVID period.

Materials and methods: The randomized, comparative, controlled, parallel study included patients (n=100, 52 men and 48 women) with exacerbation of COPD levels of evidence C and D (GOLD 2021-2023) with hypoxemic, hypercapnic respiratory failure and secondary PAH, who had pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 before hospitalization. Patients with similar demographic, clinical, and functional parameters, who received non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and oxygen (O₂) along with standard drug therapy, were divided into 5 groups: Group 1 (main): (n=22: 12 men, 10 women, who received t-He/O₂, NO, and H₂ sequentially); Group 2 (n=20: 10 men, 10 women, who received t-He/O₂ and NO); Group 3 (n=20: 11 men, 9 women, who received t-He/O₂ and H₂); Group 4 (n=18: 10 men, 8 women, who received NO and H₂); Group 5 (control) (n=20: 9 men, 11 women). The dynamics of the clinical condition of patients, gas exchange in the lungs, acid-base balance, left-to-right discharge fraction, hemodynamic parameters, and exercise tolerance were assessed.

Results: A positive effect of the complex use of medical gases on the clinical condition of patients, gas exchange parameters in the lungs, metabolism, hemodynamic parameters and exercise tolerance was found in comparison with these parameters in patients who received medical gases separately and with the control group.

Conclusion: The combination of t-He/O₂, NO and H₂ with simultaneous pathogenetic therapy and NIV in patients with exacerbation of COPD complicated by hypoxemic, hypercapnic RF and secondary PAH in the post-COVID period is safe and more effective compared to groups receiving each medical gas separately. Complex therapy improves the clinical condition of patients, reduces signs of hypoxemia and hypercapnia, vascular endothelial dysfunction, metabolic disorders and increases tolerance to physical activity by normalizing gas exchange in the lungs, increasing oxygen delivery to tissues, reducing the shunt fraction, and restoring metabolism.