What Researchers Did
Researchers compared 45 patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy receiving standard care to 45 patients who also received HBOT, measuring nerve function, blood flow, and biochemical markers.
What They Found
The HBOT group had significantly higher total treatment effectiveness scores (p<0.05). Nerve conduction velocity and peak blood flow in affected limbs improved more in the HBOT group. Levels of VEGF, bFGF, and SOD (beneficial healing and antioxidant markers) rose while MDA (an oxidative stress marker) fell more in HBOT patients. No pain or discomfort was reported during HBOT sessions.
Canadian Relevance
Diabetic foot ulcers are an OHIP-covered HBOT indication in Ontario. This study supports the use of HBOT earlier in diabetic complications, at the neuropathy stage, though neuropathy alone is not yet a covered indication.
Study Limitations
This single-centre study lacks details on the specific HBOT protocol used (pressure, session length, number of sessions), making it difficult to replicate or compare against other trials.