Effect of controlled normobaric hypoxia on the subjective state of patients with chronic prostatitis

Introduction. Unlike other physiotherapy methods, hypoxic therapy has virtually no history of use in urology. We considered it important to evaluate the physiological mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects in urological patients.

Aim. To assess the efficacy of normobaric interval hypoxic training as an innovative approach to the correction of psychophysiological disorders in patients with chronic prostatitis.

Materials and Methods: The study included 36 men divided into three groups. Group 1 (n = 12) received standard drug therapy plus 10 sessions of interval normobaric hypoxic training under a “hypoxia–normoxia” regimen (13% O2). Group 2 (n = 12) received standard drug therapy plus 10 sessions under a “hypoxia–hyperoxia” regimen (31% O2). Group 3 (n = 12) served as the control, receiving drug therapy only. Sessions were carried out weekly, consisting of 5 cycles of 5 minutes each. The effect of hypoxic therapy on patients’ subjective state was assessed using an asthenic symptom questionnaire before treatment and during the 1st, 5th, and 10th sessions.

Results. The most pronounced positive trends in the dynamics of asthenic symptoms were observed in the “hypoxia–hyperoxia” group: the average total number of complaints decreased almost threefold, while the average severity of complaints decreased by more than twofold. More modest positive changes were noted in the “hypoxia–normoxia” group, where the total number of complaints decreased by less than twofold, and the average severity decreased by about 20%. It should be emphasized that in both groups undergoing hypoxic therapy, highly significant differences were registered across all studied parameters compared with baseline. In the control group, during the same follow-up period, differences compared with baseline were insignificant. The above findings may demonstrate the insufficient efficiency of conventional measures in patients with chronic prostatitis in addressing asthenic and autonomic disorders, which are commonly observed in patients with this condition.

Conclusion. Interval hypoxic training, especially under the “hypoxia–hyperoxia” regimen, effectively reduces asthenic symptoms in patients with chronic prostatitis. This method is recommended as an adjunct to standard therapy to improve quality of life and psychoemotional status. The study supports the potential of hypoxic therapy in urology as a novel non-pharmacological approach with emphasis on psychosomatic aspects of men with chronic prostatitis.