What Researchers Did
Turkish researchers ran a retrospective study across three hospital centres comparing outcomes in patients with refractory idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM), a difficult inflammatory breast condition, treated with steroids alone versus steroids plus HBOT.
What They Found
Overall healing rates were similar between both groups, but patients who received only steroids needed an average daily dose of 16 mg for 270 days, compared to just 4 mg for 30 days in the HBOT plus steroid group (p < 0.001). HBOT dramatically reduced both the dose and duration of steroid exposure needed to achieve the same healing result.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Long-term high-dose steroids carry serious side effects including diabetes, bone loss, and immune suppression. Canadian women with refractory IGM who are struggling with long steroid courses may benefit from asking about HBOT as a steroid-sparing strategy. This is the first published evidence supporting HBOT for this specific condition.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified. HBOT for IGM is not an OHIP-covered indication in Ontario.
Study Limitations
The study is retrospective, small, and non-randomized; the HBOT group had higher rates of multicentric disease, which may have influenced treatment decisions and outcomes.