Hulshof
No evidence that hyperbaric oxygen influences cognitive disorders after irradiation of the brain
| Clinical Bottom Line: 1. Very small sample sizes with low power 2. No clear clinical implications |
Citation: Hulshof M, Stark N, Van der Kleij A, Sminia P, Smeding M, Gonzalez D. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for cognitive disorders after irradiation of the brain. Strahlentherapie und Onkol 2001;177:192-8
Lead author's name and fax: [m.c.hulshof@amc.uva.nl]
Three-part Clinical Question: For patients with cognitive deficit following brain irradiation, dose the application of HBOT result in any improvement in function?
Search Terms: Cognitive disorders, Brain irradiation, Late radiation effects
The Study: Single-blinded randomised controlled trial without intention-to-treat.
The Study Patients: Adult patients with cognitive impairment at least 1.5 years after radiation
Control group (n= 3) Nil specific treatment
Experimental group (n=4) 30 hyperbaric treatments at 3ATA for 115 minutes
The Evidence:
| Non-Event Outcomes | Time to outcome/s | Control group | HBOT group | P-value |
| 31 neuropsychological tests Mean difference only indicated for one |
directly after HBO | not given | not given | 0.016 |
Comments:
1.The one test outcome that significantly improved was a self-assesment test, and could have been influenced by not being blinded
2. Multiple comparisons in small sample size means high probability that this finding could be due to chance
3. Differences between control group and experimental group in tumour type, localization and radiation field
Appraised by: Annelies van der Hulst, Hyperbaric Unit, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick NSW.; Tuesday 16th August 2005 Email: [m.bennett@unsw.edu.au]
Kill or Update By: December 2020
