Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and COVID-19

Abstract:

About 9% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which requires mechanical ventilation and has a mortality of about 66%. The current treatment strategy for correcting tissue hypoxia is not efficient enough. Following a favourable therapeutic effect in a small sample of patients suffering from severe Spanish flu and its efficacy in a small sample of COVID-19 patients, it is reasonable to explore the use of HBOT in the treatment of these patients. Currently, eight clinical studies are examining the effect of HBOT on COVID-19.

Key words:
ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome); COVID-19; HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy); SARS-Cov-2