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Single-dose relative biological effectiveness and toxicity studies under conditions of hypothermia and hyperbaric oxygen

E. R. Hering, Ph.D. G. Blekkenhorst, Ph.D. ^* G. G. Harrison, M.D. D. Morrell, F.F.A. (S.A.) J. Korrubel, H.T.S. A. Gregory, H.T.S. J. Phillips, M.S.R. ^* V. Manca, Ph.D. and R. Sealy, F.R.C.R. ^*

Departments of Medical Physics, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, 7925 Observatory, South Africa ^* Radiotherapy, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, 7925 Observatory, South Africa Anaesthetics, Groote Schuur Hospital and University of Cape Town, 7925 Observatory, South Africa

An approach to using hyperbaric oxygen with radiation in a clinical situation has been described in the preceding paper in this issue. To ascertain whether there might be a change in the relative biological effectiveness of radiation on normal mammalian tissue treated under conditions of hypothermia and hyperbaric oxygen, the acute reaction to radiation of pig skin was studied. A single dose enhancement ratio at the erythema reaction level of 1.4 ± 0.08 was obtained when compared with irradiation at normal body temperature in air. We studied also a series of antioxidant enzymes in rat liver and lung after exposure to hypothermia and hyperbaric oxygen. Enzyme changes were such as to combat oxygen toxicity which might develop as a result of the pre-treatment.

Received for publication May 1, 1986.