Using hyperbaric oxygen for autism treatment: A review and discussion of literature.

To determine whether hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy should be used for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A literature search was performed on PubMed, Cochrane Library and DynaMed for studies evaluating the use of HBO2 for ASD treatment. The studies were then reviewed for the highest quality evidence. The evidence is weak for the use of HBO2 in ASD, with only one, likely flawed, randomized control study showing treatment benefit. HBO2 should not be recommended for ASD treatment until more conclusive favorable results and long-term outcomes are demonstrated from well-designed controlled trials.

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Clinical results in brain injury trials using HBO2 therapy: Another perspective.

The current debate surrounding the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) for neurological indications, specifically mild to moderate chronic traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and post-concussion syndrome (PCS), is mired in confusion due to the use of non-validated controls and an unfamiliarity by many practitioners of HBO2 therapy with the experimental literature. In the past 40 years, the use of an air sham (21% oxygen, 1.14-1.5 atmospheres absolute/atm abs) in clinical and animal studies, instead of observational or crossover controls, has led to false acceptance of the null hypothesis (declaring no effect when one is present), due to the biological activity of these “sham” controls. The recent Department of Defense/Veterans Administration (DoD/VA) sponsored trials, previous published reports on the use of HBO2 therapy on stroke and mTBI and preliminary reports from the HOPPS Army trial, have helped to highlight the biological activity of pressurized air, validate the development of a convincing control for future studies and demonstrate the effectiveness of a hyperbaric intervention for mTBI/ PCS. Approval of HBO2 for neurological indications, especially for mTBI/PCS, should be granted at the federal, state and certifying body levels as a safe and viable treatment for recovery in the post-acute phase.

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