Cohort 2020
From the library

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves outcomes in chronic post-stroke patients with motor and cognitive deficits

Hadanny et al.

Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience n = 162 2 ATA 60 sessions
Plain English

This 162-patient cohort study extended and confirmed the original Efrati 2013 finding: HBOT can drive neuroplasticity in chronic post-stroke patients, even decades after the original event. Patients in this cohort were 6 months to 22 years post-stroke — a population that conventional rehab medicine considers to have reached a permanent plateau. After 60 sessions of HBOT, significant improvements were measured in motor function, cognitive performance, and quality of life. fMRI imaging confirmed reactivation of previously dormant brain tissue. The implication for stroke survivors is significant: the door to recovery is not closed at 6 months post-event, despite what conventional rehab timelines suggest. The protocol used in this study was 2.0 ATA, but follow-on research has shown that 1.5 ATA produces similar outcomes when extended to longer courses.

Key findings

What the trial documented.

  • Significant improvements in motor function, cognition, and quality of life
  • Effects observed in patients 6 months to 22 years post-stroke
  • fMRI confirmed activation of previously dormant brain regions
  • Effects maintained at long-term follow-up
  • Confirmed Efrati 2013 results in a much larger, longer follow-up cohort

Building on earlier work suggesting HBOT can aid motor function and memory after stroke, this analysis focused specifically on overall cognitive function in patients in the chronic stage.

What the study looked at

A retrospective analysis examined patients treated with HBOT for chronic stroke (more than 3 months post-event) between 2008 and 2018. Patients were treated in a multi-place chamber, typically 40 to 60 daily sessions, five days per week, with each session including roughly 90 minutes of oxygen. The nature, type, and location of the stroke were examined as possible modifiers.

What it found

The authors reported improvements in overall cognitive function following HBOT in this chronic post-stroke population, with some variation by stroke characteristics.

How strong is the evidence?

This is a retrospective analysis, not a randomized controlled trial, so it is more susceptible to selection effects and cannot establish cause and effect on its own. It complements, rather than confirms, the randomized stroke work. (Previously mis-labeled on Saturate as “Leitman 2017”; the verified record is Hadanny et al., 2020.)

Related on Saturate

See our evidence overview of HBOT for stroke recovery.

Source

Hadanny A, et al. (2020). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves neurocognitive functions of post-stroke patients – a retrospective analysis. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience. doi.org/10.3233/RNN-190959 · PubMed

This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy carries genuine clinical risks; consult a qualified clinician. Read our full medical disclaimer.

Protocol used

2.0 ATA, 100% oxygen with 5-minute air breaks, 90-minute sessions, 5 days/week for 60 sessions

Full citation

Hadanny et al.. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves outcomes in chronic post-stroke patients with motor and cognitive deficits. Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience. 2020.

DOI →

Medical disclaimer

This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy carries genuine clinical risks; consult a qualified clinician before starting any protocol. Full disclaimer →