What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a pilot case series study involving ten rheumatoid arthritis patients who received 30 hyperbaric oxygen treatments over 6 to 10 weeks to assess its effects.
What They Found
The study found statistically significant improvements in disease activity, with DAS28-Global Health (p = 0.01), DAS28-C-reactive protein (p = 0.002), and DAS28-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p = 0.008) scores significantly decreasing over time. Additionally, patients experienced statistically significant decreases in pain as measured by validated questionnaires at the end of HBO2 therapy compared to baseline.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada, nor did it involve Canadian researchers or patients.
Study Limitations
Key limitations include the small sample size of ten patients, the lack of a control group, and its pilot case series design.