A small trial has found that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may help restore proper heart function in patients with post-COVID syndrome, with participants in the HBOT group experiencing a significant increase in global longitudinal strain (GLS), an indicator of heart function.
A small randomized trial in patients with post-COVID syndrome has found that hyperbaric oxygen therapy promotes the restoration of the heart's ability to contract properly. The research is presented at EACVI 2023, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).[1]
"The study suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be beneficial in patients with long COVID," said study author Professor Marina Leitman of the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University and Shamir Medical Centre, Be'er Ya'akov, Israel. "We used a sensitive measure of cardiac function which is not routinely performed in all centers. More studies are needed to determine which patients will benefit the most, but it may be that all long COVID patients should have an assessment of global longitudinal strain and be offered hyperbaric oxygen therapy if heart function is reduced."
This randomized controlled double-blind trial evaluated the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on the cardiac function of long COVID patients. HBOT involves inhalation of 100% pure oxygen at high pressure to increase delivery to the body's tissues, which is particularly beneficial for tissues that are starved of oxygen due to injury or inflammation. HBOT is an established treatment for non-healing wounds, decompression sickness in divers, carbon monoxide poisoning, radiation injury, and certain types of infections.
The study enrolled 60 post-COVID syndrome patients with ongoing symptoms for at least three months after having mild to moderate symptomatic COVID-19 confirmed by a PCR test. Both hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients were included. Severe COVID cases were excluded. Patients were randomized to HBOT or a sham procedure in a 1:1 ratio. Each patient had five sessions per week over eight weeks, for a total of 40 sessions. The HBOT group received 100% oxygen through a mask at a pressure of 2 atmospheres for 90 minutes, with 5 minute air breaks every 20 minutes. The sham group breathed 21% oxygen by mask at 1 atmosphere for 90 minutes. All participants underwent echocardiography at baseline (before the first session) and 1 to 3 weeks after the last session.
Echocardiography was used to assess left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), which is a measure of the heart's ability to contract and relax lengthwise. It indicates how well the heart is functioning and can help detect early signs of heart disease. A healthy heart will have a GLS value of around -20% which means that the heart muscle is able to properly contract and relax in the longitudinal direction. Reduced GLS is an early marker that the heart is not able to contract and relax effectively.
At baseline, nearly half of study participants (29 out of 60; 48%) had reduced GLS. Of those, 13 (43%) and 16 (53%) were in the sham and HBOT groups, respectively. The average GLS at baseline across all participants was -17.8%. In the HBOT group, GLS significantly increased from -17.8% at baseline to -20.2% after the intervention (p=0.0001). In the sham group, GLS was -17.8% at baseline and -19.1% after the sessions, with no statistically significant difference between the two measurements.
Professor Leitman said: "It was notable that almost half of long COVID patients had impaired cardiac function at baseline according to GLS despite all participants having a normal ejection fraction, which is the standard method for measuring the heart's ability to contract. This means that ejection fraction is not sensitive enough to identify long COVID patients with reduced heart function."
She concluded: "The findings suggest that HBOT promotes recovery of cardiac function in patients with post-COVID syndrome. More research is needed to collect long-term results and determine the optimal number of sessions for maximum therapeutic effect."
News
Scientists Say This Simple Supplement May Actually Reverse Heart Disease
Scientists in Japan say a common supplement may actually help “unclog” certain diseased heart arteries from the inside out. A simple food supplement sold in Japan may have helped reverse a dangerous form of [...]
New breakthrough against radiation: Korean Scientists create revolutionary shield with nanotechnology
Korean Scientists develop new nanotechnology material capable of reducing radiation impacts in space missions, hospitals, and power plants. The search for more efficient protection technologies in extreme environments has just gained an important advance. Korean [...]
Scientists Just Discovered the Hidden Trick That Keeps Your Cells Alive
A strange bead-like motion inside cells may be the secret to keeping their DNA—and health—in balance. Mitochondria are often described as the power plants of the cell because they produce the energy cells need [...]
Scientists Discover Stem Cells That Could Regrow Teeth and Bone
Scientists just uncovered the cellular “blueprint” that could one day let us regrow real teeth. Researchers at Science Tokyo have uncovered two distinct stem cell lineages that play a central role in forming tooth [...]
Scientists Uncover Fatal Weakness in “Zombie Cells” Linked to Cancer
A newly identified weakness in “zombie” cells may open the door to more precise cancer treatments by turning their own survival strategy against them. A new class of drugs takes advantage of a recently [...]
Bowel and Ovarian Cancers Are Dramatically Rising in Young Adults, Scientists Aren’t Sure Why
Cancer incidence is increasing, especially among younger adults, and current risk factors don’t fully account for the trend. Scientists suggest other underlying causes may be contributing. Cancer patterns in England are shifting in a [...]
New Immune Pathway Could Supercharge mRNA Cancer Vaccines
A surprising backup system in the immune response to mRNA vaccines may hold the key to more effective cancer treatments. The arrival of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in 2020 marked a turning point in the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, [...]
Scientists Discover “Molecular Switch” That Fuels Alzheimer’s Brain Inflammation
A newly identified trigger of brain inflammation could offer a fresh target for slowing Alzheimer’s progression. The brain has its own built-in immune system that identifies threats and responds to them. In Alzheimer’s disease, growing evidence [...]
Molecular Manufacturing: The Future of Nanomedicine – New book from NanoappsMedical Inc.
This book explores the revolutionary potential of atomically precise manufacturing technologies to transform global healthcare, as well as practically every other sector across society. This forward-thinking volume examines how envisaged Factory@Home systems might enable the cost-effective [...]
Forgotten Medicinal Plant Shows Promise in Fighting Dangerous Superbugs
A traditional medicinal plant, tormentil, shows promise against antibiotic-resistant bacteria in laboratory tests. Its compounds work by limiting bacterial growth and boosting antibiotic performance. Before the development of modern antibiotics, plant-based remedies were commonly [...]
NanoMedical Brain/Cloud Interface – Explorations and Implications. A new book from Frank Boehm
New book from Frank Boehm, NanoappsMedical Inc Founder: This book explores the future hypothetical possibility that the cerebral cortex of the human brain might be seamlessly, safely, and securely connected with the Cloud via [...]
New Research Finds Shocking Link Between Chili Peppers and Cancer
If you love spicy food, you are not alone. But scientists are taking a closer look at whether eating a lot of chili peppers could affect your cancer risk. Could your love of spicy [...]
New book from Nanoappsmedical Inc. – Global Health Care Equivalency
A new book by Frank Boehm, NanoappsMedical Inc. Founder. This groundbreaking volume explores the vision of a Global Health Care Equivalency (GHCE) system powered by artificial intelligence and quantum computing technologies, operating on secure [...]
Scientists Create “Neurobots” – Living Machines With Their Own Nervous Systems
Neurobots—xenobots with neurons—show self-organized nervous systems and enhanced behaviors, revealing new insights into how biology builds functional structures. In 2020, researchers at Tufts University developed tiny living structures known as xenobots using frog cells. These microscopic organisms [...]
Our books now available worldwide!
Online Sellers other than Amazon, Routledge, and IOPP Indigo Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artifcial Intelligence Global Health Care Equivalency In The Age Of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine And Artificial [...]
Amazonian Chocolate Could Become the Next Superfood, Scientists Say
New research into Amazonian cocoa reveals that its value may extend beyond flavor alone. Chocolate from the Amazon is already known worldwide for its distinctive taste, but new research suggests it may offer even [...]
