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document
Hyperbaric oxygen in the treatment of childhood autism : a randomised controlled trial . BACKGROUND Promising results with hyperbaric therapy for children with autism have been reported , but most involved the use of only mild pressure with oxygen supplementation . To date , there has been no randomised , blinded trial of 100 % oxygen administered at hyperbaric pressure . This study evaluated the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy ( HBOT ) . METHODS Sixty Thai children with autism , aged three to nine years , were randomly assigned to receive 20 one-hour sessions of either HBOT at 153 kPa ( 1.5 ATA ) or sham air at 116 kPa ( 1.15 ATA ) . Effects on behaviour were measured using the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist score ( ATEC ) and clinical improvement was measured with the Clinical Global Impression ( CGI ) system ; in particular the clinical change ( CGIC ) and severity ( CGIS ) sub-scores . These were evaluated by parents and clinicians , both of whom were blinded to the actual exposure . RESULTS The mean total ATEC scores by both parents and clinicians were significantly improved after intervention in both arms of the study compared to the score before intervention ( P < 0.001 in both groups by parents , P = 0.015 in HBOT group and P = 0.004 in sham group by clinician ) . There were no statistically significant differences in average percentage changes of total ATEC score and all subscales scores when comparing the HBOT and sham air groups , either by parents or clinicians . Changes in the CGI scores following intervention were inconsistent between parents and clinicians . For severity scores ( CGIS ) , parents rated their children as more improved following HBOT ( P = 0.005 ) , while the clinicians found no significant differences ( P = 0.10 ) . On the other hand , for change scores ( CGIC ) the clinicians indicated greater improvement following HBOT ( P = 0.03 ) , but the parents found no such difference ( P = 0.28 ) . CONCLUSIONS Children with autism who received 20 sessions of either HBOT or a sham air exposure had significant improvements in overall behaviour but there were no significant differences in improvement between groups . The inconsistent changes on CGI sub-scores between parents and clinicians are difficult to interpret , but no overall clinically significant benefit from HBOT could be shown . Both interventions were safe and well tolerated with minimal side effect from middle ear barotraumas .
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Intervention_Physical
Hyperbaric oxygen
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Intervention_Physical
hyperbaric therapy
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Intervention_Physical
one-hour sessions of either HBOT at 153 kPa
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Intervention_Control
sham air at 116 kPa
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Intervention_Physical
HBOT
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Outcome_Other
efficacy
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Outcome_Mental
Effects on behaviour
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Outcome_Mental
Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist score ( ATEC )
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Outcome_Mental
clinical improvement
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Outcome_Mental
Clinical Global Impression ( CGI ) system
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Outcome_Mental
clinical change ( CGIC ) and severity ( CGIS ) sub-scores .
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Outcome_Mental
mean total ATEC scores
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Outcome_Mental
total ATEC score
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Outcome_Mental
CGI scores
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Outcome_Mental
severity scores ( CGIS )
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Outcome_Mental
change scores ( CGIC )
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Outcome_Mental
overall behaviour
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Outcome_Mental
CGI sub-scores
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Outcome_Other
safe and well tolerated
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Outcome_Adverse-effects
minimal side effect