What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a paired control study involving 36 patients treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) and 36 matched controls to investigate HBO's effect on severe burns.
What They Found
Mortality, mean day of death, and total hospital days were similar between the HBO-treated group and the control group. However, patients receiving HBO experienced more kidney damage and had a higher incidence of positive blood cultures.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients with severe burns, this study suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy may not improve outcomes and could potentially increase risks like kidney damage and sepsis. Clinicians should carefully weigh these potential risks against any perceived benefits when considering HBO for burn treatment.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The study acknowledged an undetected selection factor contributing to increased mortality in both groups, which could have influenced the results.