What Researchers Did
Researchers reviewed decades of published studies on hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy for burn injuries to see which treatment factors were linked to better results.
What They Found
This review of 47 publications covering 94 experiments in burn treatment found that 67.4% showed a positive outcome, 17.9% an ambiguous outcome, and 14.7% a negative outcome. Pressure was the only factor independently linked to outcome: sessions delivered at less than 3 ATA (atmospheres absolute) were significantly associated with better outcomes (p=0.0005). The review included 32 animal trials, four trials in human volunteers, and 11 clinical studies.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
Most of the underlying evidence came from animal experiments rather than human clinical trials, and the review itself notes a lack of well-designed clinical studies to establish dedicated treatment protocols.