What Researchers Did
Researchers used MRI scans to look for brain lesions in ten hyperbaric chamber attendants and compared them to ten healthy non-diving individuals.
What They Found
MRI scans showed 3 brain lesions in 2 out of 10 hyperbaric chamber attendants, while none were found in the 10 control subjects, though this difference was not statistically significant (P=.147). The number of lesions did not relate to age, number of hyperbaric exposures, or work duration, but a correlation was found with the number of cigarettes smoked daily (P<.01).
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This study primarily focuses on the occupational health of hyperbaric chamber attendants, not on the direct treatment outcomes for Canadian patients receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It suggests that smoking might be a factor in brain lesions for these attendants.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
A significant limitation of this study is its small sample size of only ten hyperbaric chamber attendants and ten control subjects.