What Researchers Did
Researchers pooled data from 13 studies involving 958 Parkinson's disease patients to compare hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) against standard drug treatment for motor and non-motor symptoms.
What They Found
Patients who received HBOT were 3.18 times more likely to show treatment success than those on standard drugs alone (95% CI: 1.60–6.33). Motor function scores on the UPDRS III improved significantly (mean difference of -2.96 points), and cognitive scores on the MoCA improved by a standardised mean difference of 0.65. Sleep quality also improved markedly, with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores dropping by an average of 2.52 points.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
Most included studies came from Chinese databases and had variable HBOT protocols, making it difficult to determine the ideal pressure, session length, or frequency for Parkinson's patients.