The Effect of Short-Term Hyperbaric Treatment on Long COVID Symptoms: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: Long COVID has recently been recognized by the World Health Organization as a syndrome occurring two months after infection with Covid-19 with various physical, neurocognitive, and psychiatric symptoms that cannot be explained by another diagnosis. It is estimated that between six and twenty million patients in the United States alone are affected by this condition.Unfortunately, despite its prevalence, there is no established treatment regimen. The most widely prescribed therapies include respiratory care and physical therapy, cognitive therapy, and emotional support. Previous reports from the U.K. and Israel showed improvement in fatigue and brain fog following a regimen of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). The aim of this pilot study is to attempt to replicate the reported symptomatic improvement in long COVID patients with a short course of HBOT.Methods: Twelve patients were recruited via social media outlet to participate in a study investigating long COVID at a private outpatient hyperbaric facility. All patients had documented PCR COVID infection, had been diagnosed with long COVID by their primary care medical doctors and screened for contraindications to HBOT. Patients underwent ten 80-minute sessions of hyperbaric oxygen delivered via facemask at 100% oxygen at 2.0 ATM in a monoplace hyperbaric chamber. Patients were required to complete the 11-point Chalder Fatigue Scale as well as the Post Covid Functional Scale at baseline, five-session mark, and ten-session mark. The ten sessions had to be completed over a 2-week period.Results: Patients showed statistically significant improvement in both the Chalder Fatigue Scale as well as the Post Covid Functional Scale at the five and ten session marks post-treatment. There were no complications from treatment and all patients reported improvements in energy as well as cognition.Conclusions: This study confirms previous reports of the efficacy of HBOT as a treatment modality for patients suffering from long COVID. With estimates of 15% of all previously infected adults in the US having long COVID symptoms, this report emphasizes the efficacy of HBOT as a first line therapy for long COVID as well as highlights the need for large scale studies utilizing this modality.