What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a literature search of articles published between 1985 and 2000 to examine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2T) across thirteen major application areas.
What They Found
The annual number of HBO2T-related articles steadily increased over fifteen years, contributing to a medical community consensus on efficacy in major application areas. However, information regarding the cost-effectiveness of HBO2T remained extremely limited.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients might benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy for certain conditions where its efficacy is established. However, the lack of cost-effectiveness data means that decisions about its widespread use and funding may be challenging without further research.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada, nor does it specifically address the Canadian healthcare system.
Study Limitations
The study noted that information on the cost-effectiveness of HBO2T is extremely limited, and more efficacy evidence is still needed for some application areas.