Efeitos da terapia por Oxigênio Hiperbárico (OHB) em pacientes hospitalizados por Covid-19 com Lesão Pulmonar Hipoxêmica leve e moderada: estudo controlado e randomizado

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of patients with moderate COVID-19 with criteria for hospital admission, but not for ICU. Methods: Prospective randomized controlled trial. Treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) was provided to hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and respiratory distress, but without intubation criteria Such treatment was an adjunct to standard therapy. The study started upon admission after checking the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and was finalized 12 months after discharge. Results: The sample consisted of 24 individuals, 10 (41.7%) in the control group and 14 (58.3%) in the case group, recruited from May 2021 to September 2022. No patient in this sample underwent orotracheal intubation (OTI) or required referral to the intensive care unit (ICU). No individual died during hospitalization or during the 12-month period after discharge. Patients randomized to the HBOT group had significantly higher oxygen saturation values (SAT O2) than the control group after session 1. However, it was shown that the time without the need for oxygen supplementation prior to discharge was not significantly different between the groups (p-value = 0.602). The control group was hospitalized for an average of 6.4 days and the HBOT group was hospitalized for an average of 5.1 days (p=0.05). Thus, the group randomized to HBOT was discharged 1.3 days earlier than the control group. It should be highlighted that such study was limited by the small sample. Conclusion: HBOT reduced hospital length of stay; it was safe, since there was no harm or side effects to patients in the case group; and was able to increase O2 saturation after the first session. However, such benefit was not sustained until discharge, as there was no reduction in the time without the need for oxygen supplementation prior to discharge between the groups.