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 randomised 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.
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.