What Researchers Did
This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness and safety of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for treating multiple sclerosis (MS) by analyzing existing randomised controlled trials.
What They Found
Researchers identified nine trials involving 504 participants comparing HBOT to sham therapy for multiple sclerosis. While two trials reported generally positive results, the remaining seven found no evidence of a treatment effect. Only three out of 21 analyses indicated some benefit, such as a mean reduction of 0.85 points in the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) at 12 months in the HBOT group, though this specific outcome was only reported by 16% of participants.
Canadian Relevance
Multiple Sclerosis is a Health Canada-recognised indication, but HBOT for MS is not a Health Canada-approved use. This study does not have direct Canadian authors or a Canadian study location.
Study Limitations
The primary limitation is the inconsistency across trials, with most showing no benefit and the few positive results not being consistently explained or widely reported.