What Researchers Did
Researchers first tested HBOT in mice with graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), a serious complication after bone marrow transplant, then validated findings in a clinical cohort of human transplant patients, examining whether HBOT activated a specific protective cell pathway (Nrf2/HO-1).
What They Found
In mice, preventive HBOT significantly extended survival and reduced tissue damage from aGVHD, with these benefits dependent on the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant pathway, blocking it cancelled HBOT's protection. HBOT also reduced inflammatory markers IL-6 and TNF-α. In the clinical cohort, patients who received HBOT had significantly lower rates of grade 1-3 aGVHD compared to those who did not.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadians undergoing bone marrow or stem cell transplants, used to treat leukemia and other blood cancers, preventive HBOT may reduce the severity of graft-versus-host disease, one of the most dangerous post-transplant complications. This registered clinical trial (NCT04502628) supports investigating HBOT as a standard preventive tool in transplant programs.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The clinical portion was a cohort study rather than a randomized controlled trial, and differences between treated and untreated patient groups beyond HBOT cannot be fully ruled out.