What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 8 randomized controlled trials involving 493 patients to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for acute ischaemic stroke.
What They Found
The meta-analysis found no significant differences between HBOT and control groups for most outcomes, including NIHSS score, inflammatory markers, and long-term adverse events within six months. However, HBOT significantly improved modified Rankin score (MD = 0.10, 95%CI = 0.03 to 0.17) and reduced adverse event incidence at the end of treatment (OR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.19 to 0.94).
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients with acute ischaemic stroke, the current evidence suggests HBOT may offer some benefits in functional recovery and immediate adverse events, but its overall efficacy is not strongly supported for other key outcomes. Patients should discuss these findings with their healthcare providers, as HBOT is not yet a standard treatment and more definitive research is needed.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The meta-analysis was limited by the relatively small number of included studies (8) and patients (493), which may impact the generalizability and robustness of the findings.