What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a double-blind prospective pilot randomized controlled trial comparing hyperbaric oxygen to air in 39 patients with ischemic cerebral infarction.
What They Found
The study was interrupted when a trend emerged suggesting air-treated patients had less severe neurological deficits (mean score 25.6 vs 34.5 for oxygen) and smaller infarcts (29.0 cm3 vs 49.2 cm3) at 4 months. Although this trend was attributed to randomization artifact, the trial was not resumed due to difficulties in administering the treatment (15 of 39 patients broke protocol) and poor patient tolerability (8 of 39 patients refused to continue).
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This pilot study suggests that hyperbaric oxygen may not be an effective or practical treatment for Canadian patients experiencing ischemic stroke. The observed difficulties in administration and poor patient tolerability indicate that this therapy would likely not be a viable option in a clinical setting.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada or by Canadian researchers.
Study Limitations
Key limitations include the small sample size, early interruption of the trial, challenges with treatment administration, and poor patient tolerability.