What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2T) for multiple sclerosis (MS).
What They Found
The systematic review found no significant benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy for multiple sclerosis patients, with an odds ratio of 2.02 (95% CI 0.63-6.43) for improved EDSS and 1.3 (95% CI 0.8-2.11) for improved sphincter function. The number needed to treat for one patient to benefit with an improved disability status score was 42, though the 95% confidence interval extended to infinity, indicating uncertainty.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada, nor did it involve Canadian researchers or participants.
Study Limitations
A limitation of the reviewed trials is that they did not compare hyperbaric oxygen therapy against alternative current best practices for multiple sclerosis.