Efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of sleep disorders among patients with Parkinson’s disease: a meta-analysis

Aug 15, 2024Frontiers in neurology

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy's added benefits for sleep problems in Parkinson's disease patients: a meta-analysis

AI simplified

Abstract

In a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials with 461 participants, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) significantly improved several sleep parameters in patients with Parkinson's disease.

  • HBOT enhanced by 15.26 minutes and increased total sleep time by 75.87 minutes.
  • Participants experienced a 69.65-minute increase in time spent in bed and a reduction in sleep latency by 6.60 minutes.
  • The frequency of awakenings was reduced by 11.55 times, and slow-wave sleep time increased by 6.14 minutes.
  • Significant improvements in the and Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores were observed.
  • The and Hoehn and Yahr grading also showed notable improvements.

AI simplified

Key numbers

15.26
Increase in
Mean difference in minutes (MD = 15.26, 95% CI [10.89, 19.63], < 0.00001)
69.65
Increase in Time in Bed
Mean difference in minutes (MD = 69.65, 95% CI [43.01, 96.30], < 0.00001)
11.55
Decrease in Awakening Frequency
Mean difference in number of awakenings per night (MD = -11.55, 95% CI [-15.42, -7.68], < 0.00001)

Full Text

What this is

  • This meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as an adjunct treatment for sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients.
  • It includes seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of 461 participants.
  • Findings indicate that HBOT significantly improves various sleep parameters in PD patients.

Essence

  • HBOT significantly enhances sleep quality and duration in Parkinson's disease patients with sleep disorders. It reduces sleep latency and awakening frequency while improving .

Key takeaways

  • HBOT improves by 15.26 minutes (MD = 15.26, 95% CI [10.89, 19.63], < 0.00001). This improvement suggests a meaningful enhancement in overall sleep quality for PD patients.
  • Patients receiving HBOT experience a 69.65-minute increase in time spent in bed (MD = 69.65, 95% CI [43.01, 96.30], < 0.00001). This indicates that HBOT may help patients achieve longer sleep durations.
  • The frequency of awakenings decreases by 11.55 times per night (MD = -11.55, 95% CI [-15.42, -7.68], < 0.00001). This reduction could lead to improved sleep continuity and overall well-being.

Caveats

  • The analysis is limited to seven studies, all focused on Chinese PD patients, potentially restricting the generalizability of the findings.
  • Included studies generally exhibit low methodological quality, which may affect the reliability of the results.
  • The studies did not categorize the types of sleep disorders present, limiting the assessment of HBOT's effectiveness across different sleep disorder types.

Definitions

  • Sleep efficiency: The ratio of total sleep time to the total time spent in bed, indicating sleep quality.
  • Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI): A standardized questionnaire assessing sleep quality and disturbances over a one-month period.
  • Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (UPDRS III): A scale used to evaluate the motor function of patients with Parkinson's disease.

AI simplified

what lands in your inbox each week:

  • 📚7 fresh studies
  • 📝plain-language summaries
  • direct links to original studies
  • 🏅top journal indicators
  • 📅weekly delivery
  • 🧘‍♂️always free