Gesell

No evidence for benefit of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in brain radionecrosis (early interim report)

Clinical Bottom Line:
1. 5 of 7 patients have suffered adverse events

Citation/s: Gesell LB, Warnick RE, Brenerman JC, Vogt CJ, Lindsell CJ. A randomized, controlled trial of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for brain radionecrosis. Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine, 2005. 32(4): 235-236

Three-part Clinical Question: For patients with brain radionecrosis, does hyperbaric oxygen therapy improve functional outcome? Search Terms: Radiation injury, Brain tumour, Neuropsychiatric testing

The Study:Non-blinded randomised controlled trial intention-to-treat unknown.

The Study Patients: PET-scan confirmed brain radionecrosis on steroids at a dose that cannot be tapered down

Control group (N = ?): Steroid treatment, dose adjusted to oedema volume and Karnofsky score, for 3 months

Experimental group (N = ?): As above, plus 60 treatments of 100% oxygen breathing at an unspecified pressure on an ‘accelerated air break’ protocol

The Evidence:

Outcome Time to outcome Total
Adverse events unknown 5 of 7 patients enrolled

Comments:

1. Abstract only

2. 7 patients enrolled, allocation unknown

3. No discussion of randomization procedure, blinding, or allocation concealment

4. Severe nature of disease and co-morbidities threaten to disrupt this trial

Appraised by: A/Prof Mike Bennett, Dr Sean Hopson Department of Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Prince of Wales Hospital Sydney ; Friday, 22 September 2006Email: [m.bennett@unsw.edu.au]

Kill or Update By: December 2020

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