Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation and joint damage. Synovial hypoxia (low oxygen) is a specific feature of RA and plays an important role in the formation and progression of this disease. “Hypoxia induces angiogenesis, inflammation, apoptosis, cartilage erosion, abnormal energy metabolism and oxidative damage” Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can reverse hypoxic conditions throughout the body and therefore can help effectively halt the pathogenesis of RA. In this study, the animal model of RA was evaluated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy; whereby, male mice received a total of 10 daily hyperbaric sessions at 2.4 ATA (90 minutes of pure oxygen and two 5 minute air breaks). This group of mice that received HBOT had a significant reduction in the mouse model of arthritis, along with the reduction in disease-progressive inflammatory markers. After evaluating all the data collected from this study, the researchers concluded that a 10 day course of hyperbaric therapy in 12 days can be “an alternative therapy that is considered successful in reducing morbidity and mortality of RA patients” <view study> In addition to the study above, a new pilot study published in the journal of Clinical Rheumatology on September 16, 2020 also found Hyperbaric oxygen therapy to be effective for joint pain in patients with RA <view this study> Read Less

This study evaluated 20 Ulcerative Colitis (UC) patients that were hospitalized for moderate to severe flares and treated with either a 3 or 5 day course of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT, at 2.4 atmospheres, 90 minutes with two air breaks) in addition to intravenous steroids. By Day 3, there were significant reductions in stool frequency, rectal bleeding, and overall inflammation. A more significant reduction in disease activity was observed with 5 days vs 3 days of HBOT. Thus researchers concluded that an optimal clinical response is achieved with 5 days of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. <view study> Read Less

This is a single-center clinical trial of 20 COVID-19 patients aged 30 to 79 years being treated with 5 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy at 2.0 ATA (90 minutes) at NYU Winthrop Hospital from March 31 to April 28, 2020. “The results demonstrated the safety of hyperbaric oxygen among COVID-19 patients and strongly suggests the need for a well-designed, multi-center randomized control trial” <view study> Read Less

Promising clinical studies have emerged suggesting HBOT's efficacy for reducing postoperative complications. This RCT (randomized controlled trials) review of literature supports the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy peri-operatively, and gives value for this procedure to be a “promising intervention to improve surgical patient outcome”. <view study> Read Less

Adipose-derived stem cells are considered as candidate cells for regenerative plastic surgery. “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy with 3 ATA increases viability and proliferation of adipose-derived stem cells, alters marker expression and subpopulations, decreases TGF-β secretion, and skews adipose-derived stem cells toward adipogenic differentiation” <view study> Read Less