What Researchers Did
Researchers studied whether adding hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to standard care changed blood oxygen recovery and blood markers in hospitalized COVID-19 patients with low blood oxygen levels.
What They Found
This clinical study of 50 hospitalized patients with hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia found that patients given HBOT plus standard care reached blood oxygen saturation above 90% faster than those given standard care alone (3 plus or minus 1 days versus 5 plus or minus 1 days, p less than 0.01). The HBOT group also had higher white blood cell, lymphocyte, and platelet counts, and lower D-dimer and LDH levels, than the standard-care group. Blood tests also showed lower levels of sVCAM, sPselectin, SAA, and TNF-alpha, along with higher levels of IL-1RA and VEGF, in the HBOT group compared to standard care. All measurements were taken at the start of treatment and again 5 days later.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For hospitalized patients with hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia, this study suggests HBOT added to standard care was linked to faster recovery of blood oxygen levels and changes in blood markers tied to inflammation and blood vessel health over a 5-day period. The abstract does not report whether these changes led to shorter hospital stays or other longer-term outcomes.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The study involved only 50 patients, tracked outcomes over just 5 days, and the abstract does not state whether patients were randomly assigned or whether assessors were blinded to treatment group.