Zilberman-Itskovich S, Catalogna M, Sasson E, Elman-Shina K, Hadanny A, Lang E, Finci S, Polak N, Fishlev G, Korin C, Shorer R, Parag Y, Sova M, Efrati S, et al.
Scientific reports. Date of publication 2022 Jul 12;volume 12(1):11252.
1. Sci Rep. 2022 Jul 12;12(1):11252. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-15565-0.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves neurocognitive functions and symptoms of
post-COVID condition: randomized controlled trial.
Zilberman-Itskovich S(#)(1)(2), Catalogna M(#)(1), Sasson E(1), Elman-Shina
K(1)(2), Hadanny A(1)(2), Lang E(1)(2), Finci S(1)(2), Polak N(1)(2), Fishlev
G(1)(2), Korin C(1)(2), Shorer R(1), Parag Y(1), Sova M(1), Efrati S(3)(4)(5).
Author information:
(1)Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research, Shamir (Assaf Harofeh)
Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel.
(2)Sackler School of Medicine, Tel- Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
(3)Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research, Shamir (Assaf Harofeh)
Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel. efratishai@outlook.com.
(4)Sackler School of Medicine, Tel- Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
efratishai@outlook.com.
(5)Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
efratishai@outlook.com.
(#)Contributed equally
Post-COVID-19 condition refers to a range of persisting physical,
neurocognitive, and neuropsychological symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The
mechanism can be related to brain tissue pathology caused by virus invasion or
indirectly by neuroinflammation and hypercoagulability. This randomized,
sham-control, double blind trial evaluated the effect of hyperbaric oxygen
therapy (HBOT or HBO2 therapy) on post-COVID-19 patients with ongoing symptoms
for at least 3 months after confirmed infection. Seventy-three patients were
randomized to receive daily 40 session of HBOT (n = 37) or sham (n = 36).
Follow-up assessments were performed at baseline and 1-3 weeks after the last
treatment session. Following HBOT, there was a significant group-by-time
interaction in global cognitive function, attention and executive function
(d = 0.495, p = 0.038; d = 0.477, p = 0.04 and d = 0.463, p = 0.05
respectively). Significant improvement was also demonstrated in the energy
domain (d = 0.522, p = 0.029), sleep (d = - 0.48, p = 0.042), psychiatric
symptoms (d = 0.636, p = 0.008), and pain interference (d = 0.737, p = 0.001).
Clinical outcomes were associated with significant improvement in brain MRI
perfusion and microstructural changes in the supramarginal gyrus, left
supplementary motor area, right insula, left frontal precentral gyrus, right
middle frontal gyrus, and superior corona radiate. These results indicate that
HBOT can induce neuroplasticity and improve cognitive, psychiatric, fatigue,
sleep and pain symptoms of patients suffering from post-COVID-19 condition.
HBOT's beneficial effect may be attributed to increased brain perfusion and
neuroplasticity in regions associated with cognitive and emotional roles.
© 2022. The Author(s).
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15565-0
PMCID: PMC9276805
PMID: 35821512 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
Conflict of interest statement: Amir Hadanny and Efrat Sasson work for AVIV
Scientific LTD. Shai Efrati is a shareholder at AVIV Scientific LTD. LTD. SZI,
MC, KES, EL, SF, NP, GF, CK, RS, YP, MS have no competing interests.
