What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of recompression and adjunctive therapies for decompression illness.
What They Found
Only two randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria, and pooling of data was not possible. One study found no evidence of improved effectiveness with the addition of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (tenoxicam) to routine recompression therapy.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients experiencing decompression illness should continue to receive standard recompression therapy. The current evidence does not strongly support the routine addition of adjunctive therapies like NSAIDs to improve outcomes.
Canadian Relevance
This systematic review has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The review was limited by the scarcity of eligible randomized controlled trials and the inability to pool data from the included studies.