What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a single-center clinical trial at NYU Winthrop Hospital, comparing hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in 20 COVID-19 patients with respiratory distress to 60 propensity-matched controls.
What They Found
Among 20 patients treated with hyperbaric oxygen, 2 (10%) were intubated and died, compared to 18 (30%) intubated and 13 (22%) deaths among 60 propensity-matched controls. The adjusted subdistribution hazard ratios were 0.37 for inpatient mortality (p=0.14) and 0.26 for mechanical ventilation, suggesting a potential benefit for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may offer a potential treatment option for Canadian patients experiencing respiratory distress due to COVID-19, potentially reducing the need for mechanical ventilation and improving survival. However, given the preliminary nature of these findings, further research is needed before widespread adoption in Canadian healthcare settings.
Canadian Relevance
This study was conducted at a single center in the United States and does not have a direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
This was a single-center clinical trial with a small sample size of 20 treated patients, and the primary outcome for mortality did not reach statistical significance (p=0.14).