Oxygen Therapy for Intracranial Hemorrhage

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cerebrovascular Medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a severe condition with high mortality and significant impact on patient quality of life.
• Oxygen therapies, such as hyperbaric hyperoxia (HBO) and normobaric hyperoxia (NBO), are being investigated as potential adjuvant treatments for ICH due to their neuroprotective properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the neuroprotective mechanisms of oxygen therapy in ICH.
• To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oxygen therapy in patients with ICH.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases.
• Inclusion of publications prior to November 2025.
• Manual review of references to identify additional relevant articles.

Main Results:

• Oxygen therapy mechanisms include reducing vasospasm, promoting angiogenesis, and modulating inflammation (HBO); and protecting the blood-brain barrier, reducing edema, and mitigating inflammation (NBO).
• Clinical studies indicate oxygen therapy may improve neurological recovery and long-term prognosis in ICH patients, with reduced mortality.
• Potential risks include adverse reactions from excessive oxygen and negative impacts of hyperoxia, necessitating careful treatment planning.

Conclusions:

• Oxygen therapy demonstrates multifaceted neuroprotective mechanisms for ICH.
• Further large-scale randomized controlled trials are essential to establish optimal regimens, balancing efficacy and safety for clinical application in ICH.