Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Rehabilitation of Stroke Patients: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Improvement in neurological function has been reported in stroke patients after hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) administration. Although the majority of spontaneous neurological recovery occurs within the first 90 days poststroke, HBOT may further augment this recovery process. This study aimed to evaluate the role of HBOT in improving neurological function and quality of life (QoL) in stroke patients.

This randomized controlled pilot study involved 30 patients who experienced an ischemic stroke 3-6 months before enrollment, randomly assigned to two groups: Group H (n = 15), which received 24 sessions of HBOT along with conventional physiotherapy and Group C (n = 15), which received only conventional physiotherapy. The primary outcome was the change in motor function, assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). The secondary outcomes included the changes in cognitive function, evaluated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and QoL, measured using the Short Form-36 questionnaire.

Following HBOT, there was a significant improvement in the NIHSS score from a baseline of (7.27 ± 2.71) to (5.46 ± 2.47) and in the MMSE from a baseline of (24.8 ± 2.98) to (26.73 ± 1.90). Similar improvements were also observed in Group C after the intervention compared to baseline. Group H showed significant improvement in the SF-36 questionnaire except for bodily pain and vitality, while Group C showed no significant change.

Although clinical improvement in motor and cognitive function was better after giving HBOT in the 3-6 months poststroke period, the between-group comparisons postintervention were not statistically significant.