What Researchers Did
Researchers at four Chinese hospitals compared 56 brain injury patients with paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH), dangerous storms of elevated heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tone, who received HBOT against 36 similar patients who did not.
What They Found
After HBOT, PSH symptoms dropped dramatically: patients with elevated heart rate fell from 98% to 25%, high blood pressure from 86% to 9%, and sweating from 86% to 11%. Consciousness scores (GCS) improved from 5.95 to 12.31 in the HBOT group, and ICU stay was shortened by about 7 days compared to controls (18 vs. 25 days).
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This was a retrospective cohort from a single Chinese province with non-randomised treatment groups, making direct cause-and-effect conclusions unreliable.