Authors' objectives:

The purpose of this report is to describe the methods, results, and conclusions of a literature review of the benefits and harms of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for brain injury, cerebral palsy, and stroke.

Authors' results and conclusions: For traumatic brain injury, the evidence about effectiveness is conflicting. One trial found a significant decrease in mortality, associated with an increase in severe disability among those who survived. The other found no difference overall, but a significant reduction in mortality in one subgroup. Together, these studies provided insufficient evidence to determine whether the benefits of HBOT outweigh the potential harms. For other types of brain injury, no good- or fair-quality studies were found. For cerebral palsy, the results of the only truly randomized trial were difficult to interpret because of the use of pressurized room air in the control group. Patients who received HBOT and those who received pressurized air improved to a similar degree. No controlled trial of HBOT was designed to measure mortality in stroke patients, and the best studies found no improvement in neurological outcomes. Evidence about the type, frequency, and severity of adverse events in actual practice is inadequate. Reporting of adverse effects was limited, and no study was designed specifically to assess adverse effects.

Authors' recommendations: Evidence from well-conducted clinical studies is limited. The balance of benefits and harms of HBOT for brain injury, cerebral palsy, or stroke has not been adequately studied. Future research of HBOT should include dose-ranging and safety studies to establish the optimum course of HBOT to evaluate in outcome studies. Future clinical trials should include several treatment options and should evaluate measure caregiver burden in addition to patients' functional outcomes.

Authors' methods: Systematic review

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/hboxtp.htm

Year Published: 2003

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: United States

Organisation Name: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Contact Address: Center for Outcomes and Evidence Technology Assessment Program, 540 Gaither Road, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. Tel: +1 301 427 1610; Fax: +1 301 427 1639;

Contact Name: martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov

Contact Email: martin.erlichman@ahrq.hhs.gov

Copyright: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)