What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a cohort study at Toronto General Hospital to evaluate the feasibility and safety of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in 18 fibromyalgia patients, comparing immediate HBOT to a delayed treatment arm over 8 weeks.
What They Found
Of 18 randomized patients, 17 completed the study, with mild middle-ear barotrauma reported in three patients and new-onset myopia in four patients. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy demonstrated efficacy in most measured outcomes, including pain, psychological variables, fatigue, and sleep quality, with improvements sustained at the 3-month follow-up.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with fibromyalgia may find hyperbaric oxygen therapy to be a feasible and safe treatment option for managing their symptoms. This therapy could potentially lead to improvements in pain, fatigue, sleep quality, and psychological well-being, offering a new avenue for symptom relief.
Canadian Relevance
This study has direct Canadian relevance as it was conducted at the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit at Toronto General Hospital in Ontario, focusing on Canadian patients.
Study Limitations
A primary limitation of this study is its small sample size of 18 patients, which limits the generalizability of the efficacy findings.