What Researchers Did
This observational cohort study investigated long-term follow-up in participants from two previous United States military trials on hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂) for persistent post-concussive symptoms (PCS).
What They Found
Of 132 HBO₂ study participants, 40 (30%) completed an electronic survey after an average of 39.2 months. At follow-up, participants reported continued symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life. Total PCS scores generally worsened across most groups, with individual changes varying widely from -23 to +28 points.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with persistent post-concussive symptoms should be aware that long-term follow-up data from this study did not show improvement with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This suggests that current evidence does not strongly support HBO₂ as a long-term solution for these symptoms.
Canadian Relevance
This study was conducted in the United States military population and has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
Low participation rates (30%) and potential response bias significantly limited the ability to perform statistical hypothesis testing and draw definitive conclusions.