What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on circulating cytokines, nitric oxide (NO), and insulin-like growth factors (IGF) in 31 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 29 healthy subjects.
What They Found
Before HBOT, diabetic patients (n=31) had significantly higher BMI and HbA1c, and lower IGF-I, compared to healthy subjects (n=29). Short-term HBOT did not significantly alter circulating levels of insulin, growth hormone, IGF-II, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-3, leptin, interleukin-8, or nitric oxide in either diabetic patients or healthy subjects.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients with type 2 diabetes, this study suggests that short-term hyperbaric oxygen therapy may not directly impact circulating levels of key inflammatory markers, growth factors, or insulin. Patients should discuss with their healthcare providers whether HBOT is appropriate for their specific condition, as this study did not find evidence of systemic changes in these particular biomarkers.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada, nor did it involve Canadian researchers or participants.
Study Limitations
The study's short-term nature of HBOT exposure and relatively small sample size may limit the generalizability of its findings regarding long-term effects.