What Researchers Did
The researchers pooled the results of randomized trials that tested hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as an add-on treatment for people with thinking and memory problems after a stroke.
What They Found
This meta-analysis of 35 randomized controlled trials with 3,036 participants found that adding HBOT was linked to higher scores on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), by an average of 2.90 points (95% CI: 2.47-3.33). Scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination also rose by 2.68 points on average. Stroke severity scores (NIHSS) improved by 2.61 points, and daily living scores improved on the Modified Barthel Index (6.64 points) and the Barthel Index (8.77 points). Results varied a lot between trials (I2 of 82% to 93%), and the certainty of the evidence was low for MoCA, MMSE and MBI and very low for NIHSS and BI.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
All 35 trials were conducted in China, large unexplained differences between trials remained, and the evidence was rated low to very low certainty, which limits how far the findings apply to other populations.