Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in ME/CFS and PCS

Dr. Claudia Kedor presented the latest findings from a clincial trial evaluating hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as a potential treatment for ME/CFS. HBOT has previously been explored in several studies for post-COVID syndrome using a variety of treatment protocols, prompting interest in its possible benefits for ME/CFS. In this study, participants received HBOT three to five times per week, with each session lasting 90 minutes at a pressure of 2.0 atmospheres absolute (ATA) while breathing 100% oxygen. The two treatment groups (40 vs 20 sessions) were comparable at baseline with respect to demographic and clinical characteristics, except for a slightly shorter average disease duration in the 40-session group (27 months versus 31 months). Clinical responses varied considerably, with only a subset of participants demonstrating meaningful improvement. Among responders, 11 of 30 patients in the 40-session group experienced a significant improvement in physical functioning after three months of treatment. However, this improvement was no longer evident by the eleven-month follow-up. In contrast, responders in the 20-session group did not show a comparable improvement in physical function. Both responder groups experienced significant reductions in fatigue from two months after treatment through the eleven-month follow-up. Improvements in cognitive processing speed were also observed at three months in responders from both groups. Additional benefits, including reductions in pain and improvements in hand grip strength and performance on the One Minute Sit-to-Stand Test, were observed only among responders who received 40 treatment sessions. Importantly, clinical improvements were associated with normalisation of functional brain connectivity measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), suggesting a potential biological correlate of treatment response. Overall, the study found HBOT to be feasible and well tolerated in patients with ME/CFS. Although only a subgroup achieved clinically meaningful and sustained benefits. The results suggest that a 40-session treatment regimen may be more effective than 20 sessions.