Context
Mental illness affects approximately one in three Canadians at some
point in their lives. For patients experiencing post-traumatic
stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or depression,
hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been proposed as a potential treatment
option.
Technology
During hyperbaric oxygen therapy, a patient breathes pure oxygen
while in a chamber that has been pressurized to a higher-than-normal
atmospheric pressure. This increases the amount of oxygen in the
patient's blood and tissues, thereby promoting healing. It has been
suggested that the procedure might also be useful in treating mental
illness by reactivating the brain's metabolic or electrical
pathways.
Issue
A review of the clinical effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy
for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety
disorder, or depression will help to guide decisions about its use
in these patients.
Methods
A limited literature search was conducted of key resources, and
titles and abstracts of the retrieved publications were reviewed.
Full-text publications were evaluated for final article selection
according to predetermined selection criteria (population,
intervention, comparator, outcomes, and study designs).
Stroke & Hyperbaric Chambers HBOT
Results
The literature search identified 267 citations, with no additional
studies identified from other sources. Of the identified studies, 7
were deemed potentially relevant and none met the criteria for
inclusion in this review.
Key Messages
No evidence was found on the clinical effectiveness of hyperbaric
oxygen for the treatment of adults with post-traumatic stress
disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or depression.
Question
What is the clinical effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for
the treatment of adults with post-traumatic stress disorder?
What is the clinical effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for
the treatment of adults with generalized anxiety disorder?
What is the clinical effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for
the treatment of adults with depression?
Key Message
No relevant literature regarding the clinical effectiveness of
hyperbaric oxygen for the treatment of adults with post-traumatic
stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, or depression was
identified.
