How has hyperbaric oxygen been studied in autoimmune conditions?

A long term report of a randomized trial in 120 people with chronic multiple sclerosis compared 20 hyperbaric oxygen sessions with air under simulated compression, assessing disability, bladder function, evoked potentials and immune measures over one year.

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry · 1987 · PMID 3320274

Seventeen people with progressive multiple sclerosis were randomized to hyperbaric oxygen or placebo, with 90 minute exposures five days weekly for four weeks and disability and functional scales followed for one year.

Presse Med · 1986 · PMID 2950392

Eighty two people with stable chronic multiple sclerosis were randomized equally to hyperbaric oxygen or control gas for 20 initial and seven additional sessions over six months; disability, MRI and evoked potentials were measured.

Neurology · 1986 · PMID 3520382

A randomized blinded study assigned 84 people with multiple sclerosis to oxygen at 2 atmospheres or placebo in monoplace chambers; disability, walking and function were assessed before, after and one month later.

Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) · 1986 · PMID 3080173

A randomized blinded trial compared 21 hyperbaric oxygen and 20 placebo completers with multiple sclerosis; 20 sessions of 90 minutes at 2 atmospheres were delivered over one month, with subjective reports and functional scales assessed.

Med J Aust · 1985 · PMID 3897808

A randomized trial compared hyperbaric oxygen at 2 atmospheres with placebo in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis, measuring visual evoked potentials and clinical course; sample size was not stated in the abstract.

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry · 1985 · PMID 3891920

A short term report of a randomized blinded trial in 120 people with chronic multiple sclerosis compared 20 sessions of 90 minutes of 100% oxygen at 2 atmospheres with air at normal pressure using disability and functional scales.

Lancet · 1985 · PMID 2857361

Forty people with advanced chronic multiple sclerosis were randomized to oxygen or an oxygen and nitrogen control gas; both groups received 20 exposures of 90 minutes at 2 atmospheres, with clinical status, ear events and myopia followed.

N Engl J Med · 1983 · PMID 6336824

A report from a controlled hyperbaric oxygen trial in multiple sclerosis examined subjective assessments using the General Health Questionnaire and Nottingham Health Profile; sample size was not stated in the abstract.

J Psychosom Res · 1988 · PMID 3070011

Multimodal evoked potentials were measured serially in 57 participants in a blinded controlled multiple sclerosis trial, examining repeatability and correspondence with clinical function.

Arch Neurol · 1987 · PMID 3675257

A blinded study divided 49 people with chronic multiple sclerosis among oxygen at 2.3 atmospheres with diazepam, oxygen at 2 atmospheres and control, assessing clinical scales, evoked potentials and lymphocytes after 20 sessions over four weeks; random allocation was not stated in the abstract.

Rev Neurol (Paris) · 1986 · PMID 2879344

One woman with Cogan syndrome received steroids, infliximab, methotrexate and hyperbaric oxygen; hearing and ocular and systemic symptoms were observed after four weeks.

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med · 2026 · PMID 42466223

One man with an inflammatory syndrome associated with hernia mesh received four hyperbaric oxygen sessions after mesh removal and drainage; imaging, operative specimens and subsequent course were recorded.

J Surg Case Rep · 2026 · PMID 42078160

One postpartum woman with antiphospholipid syndrome and Bell palsy received hyperbaric oxygen alongside medication, with 20 sessions planned at 2 atmospheres; neurological symptoms and antibodies were observed.

Front Rehabil Sci · 2026 · PMID 41858320

A woman with systemic sclerosis received hyperbaric oxygen after custom temporomandibular joint reconstruction; joint function, wounds and infection were observed over several years.

Oral Maxillofac Surg · 2026 · PMID 41739246

One woman with Cogan syndrome and pyoderma gangrenosum received four cyclophosphamide infusions with hyperbaric oxygen; skin lesions were followed.

Skin Health Dis · 2025 · PMID 40124997

A man with a history of spondylarthritis and retinal, small fiber and cerebral symptoms was observed for more than three years; multiple interventions including hyperbaric oxygen and antibody tests were recorded.

Cureus · 2024 · PMID 39280509

Three people with multiple sclerosis and one center manager discussed oxygen use to inform a cell experiment. This report distinguishes patient involvement from experiments on brain endothelial cells.

Mult Scler Relat Disord · 2020 · PMID 32442882

One person with complex regional pain syndrome received hyperbaric oxygen alongside medication, followed by another course several months later; symptoms and steroid dose were followed.

J Neuroimmune Pharmacol · 2019 · PMID 31838618

One patient with cold agglutinin disease and nasal ischemia received aspirin, heparin, nitroglycerin ointment and hyperbaric oxygen; the nasal skin course was recorded.

J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · 2019 · PMID 31640785

Records of 25 people with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis were reviewed retrospectively; 16 received hyperbaric oxygen, with brain perfusion SPECT and neurological scales compared before and after 20 sessions.

BMC Neurol · 2016 · PMID 27229156

A three person case series concerned autoimmune disease and leg ulcers; one woman with mixed connective tissue disease received hyperbaric oxygen alongside multiple medications, debridement and skin grafting.

Med Sci Monit · 2011 · PMID 21169912

One woman received hyperbaric oxygen for sensory changes after diving before further assessment identified multiple sclerosis; the diagnostic course and neurological symptoms were recorded.

Aviat Space Environ Med · 2003 · PMID 12602452

Autonomic responses in people with multiple sclerosis were observed during hyperbaric oxygen exposure according to baseline state and exposure phase; sample size was not stated in the abstract.

Lik Sprava · 1998 · PMID 10050468

A case report concerned hyperbaric oxygen for pressure sores in one patient with multiple sclerosis and other conditions; exposure details were not stated in the abstract.

J Wound Care · 1992 · PMID 27911177

An uncontrolled registry enrolled 312 people with multiple sclerosis for 20 initial sessions and monthly additional sessions over two years; disability scores, bladder function and attrition were recorded.

Arch Neurol · 1991 · PMID 1993011

Fifteen people with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis received 20 exposures at 2 atmospheres followed by two per month over 24 months; electrophysiology and bladder function were observed.

Riv Neurol · 1990 · PMID 2247750

Forty eight participants in a multiple sclerosis hyperbaric oxygen trial answered open questions at completion and six months later about reasons for continuing or stopping exposure.

Fam Pract · 1989 · PMID 2698817

An uncontrolled study followed 97 people with multiple sclerosis for 18 months, mainly assessing bladder function, mobility and communication during 12 months of exposure.

Health Bull (Edinb) · 1989 · PMID 2592201

Ten people with multiple sclerosis received 100% oxygen at 2 atmospheres for 90 minutes daily over 20 sessions; immune measures in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid were assessed before and after.

Acta Neurol Scand · 1989 · PMID 2499161

A qualitative study used in depth interviews with participants in a multiple sclerosis hyperbaric oxygen trial about evaluating their experience and deciding whether to continue; sample size was not stated in the abstract.

Soc Sci Med · 1989 · PMID 2609202

Sixteen people with multiple sclerosis received 25 to 30 hyperbaric oxygen exposures at 2 atmospheres; disability scales, serum immunoglobulins, complement and lymphocytes were measured.

Bull Inst Marit Trop Med Gdynia · 1988 · PMID 3270584

A case report observed bilateral central visual field changes after hyperbaric oxygen in one woman with multiple sclerosis, recording the visual field and subsequent course.

J Fr Ophtalmol · 1987 · PMID 3598057

Erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes and in vitro peroxide responses were measured in people with multiple sclerosis, with enzymes compared before and after hyperbaric oxygen; sample size was not stated in the abstract.

Neurochem Res · 1984 · PMID 6462325

A report described experience with 1,000 people with multiple sclerosis receiving hyperbaric oxygen from 1977 to 1981; a control group and detailed exposure conditions were not stated in the abstract.

Minerva Med · 1982 · PMID 7133505

A case series followed 40 people with multiple sclerosis for 3 to 33 months; an initial 10 to 15 exposures of 90 minutes at 2 atmospheres were followed by additional sessions, recording walking, sensory, bladder and other clinical symptoms.

Minerva Med · 1982 · PMID 7133504

A qualitative synthesis of 39 papers selected by two reviewers after searching five databases through November 2025; human and animal records concerned hyperbaric oxygen, immune cells and peripheral immune tolerance.

Front Immunol · 2026 · PMID 41853291

A systematic review searched four databases for ocular adverse events after interventions for multiple sclerosis; 11 experimental and 56 observational reports covered multiple interventions including hyperbaric oxygen.

Syst Rev · 2021 · PMID 34711264

An overview included 15 Cochrane reviews of multiple sclerosis rehabilitation, collectively covering 164 randomized trials and four controlled trials with 10,396 participants; hyperbaric oxygen was one of several approaches.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev · 2019 · PMID 30637728

A meta analysis examined 12 randomized studies conducted from 1983 to 1987 in multiple sclerosis, comparing pressure, session number, exposure time and clinical scales.

CNS Neurosci Ther · 2010 · PMID 20415839

A systematic review of nine randomized trials reported in ten papers with 504 participants compared hyperbaric oxygen with sham exposure in multiple sclerosis; two reviewers assessed data and study quality.

Cochrane Database Syst Rev · 2004 · PMID 14974004

A systematic synthesis of randomized hyperbaric oxygen studies in multiple sclerosis analyzed disability scores and sphincter function; trial count and total sample size were not stated in the abstract.

Undersea Hyperb Med · 2001 · PMID 12067146

A review assessed 14 controlled multiple sclerosis trials against predefined methodological criteria, examining disability and functional scales, evoked potentials and reported ear and eye events.

Acta Neurol Scand · 1995 · PMID 7639061