What Researchers Did
Researchers at a Polish university hospital reviewed 10 years of records for 176 critically ill ICU patients who received HBOT, identifying what risk factors led to complications or death.
What They Found
Each additional HBOT session reduced the risk of death by 29% (RR = 0.71, p < 0.001). Patients receiving IV medications to support blood pressure (catecholamines) had 3.56 times higher risk of death. Nighttime sessions made up 56.6% of all treatments and were associated with more adverse events. The first 72 hours of hospitalization were identified as the most critical window for survival.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
ICU patients with severe infections like necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI) or gas gangrene are among the highest-risk groups for death. This data supports giving these patients as many HBOT sessions as safely possible and prioritizing day-time treatment delivery.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This was a single-centre retrospective study, which means the findings may not apply to all hyperbaric centres or patient populations.