Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in rheumatic diseases - 1995 article referenced

[Guest guest]

I urge caution when interpreting the 1995 article on hyperbaric oxygen

therapy (HBOT )used to treat a scleroderma/lupus overlap patient which

was put up on the web site below, Kathi:

http://www.hbot4u.com/lupus1.html

Although one of the authors listed is undoubtedly one of my personal

favorites in the rheumatology world, Dr. J. Wallace (author of

" The Lupus Book, " " All About Fibromyalgia, " " All About Osteoarthritis, "

and lead editor of the world-famous " Dubois' Lupus Erythematosus " for

physicians, not to mention many other published works), the article,

which was originally published in the journal " Lupus, " as displayed at

the above-mentioned site is quite poorly transcribed. I don't have

access to the journal. I wish I did because I would like to view the

original work.

In addition, a paper from 1995 used in support of an alternative

therapy in 2002 is getting relatively old, especially when it deals with

a case study (one patient). If there were more recent, compelling case

studies or research on greater numbers of patients on this specific

topic, I'm sure they would be listed at that and the other similar sites

selling hyperbaric services I came upon which also reference the very

same article. In the conclusion of the paper, the authors themselves

state, " Very little is known about the influence of hyperbaric oxygen on

the immune system. "

I could find no reference to hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a recommended

general treatment of lupus in either of the lupus books of Wallace's. I

came up empty-handed at the Lupus Foundation as well. Most importantly,

in the article, the authors did NOT conclude that HBOT is a cure or even

a general treatment for people with a scleroderma/lupus overlap. They

stated that the patient's cognitive dysfunction appeared to improve

resulting from hyperbaric oxygen therapy and that, perhaps, further

investigation of HBOT as it applies to rheumatic disease, particularly

as it pertains to SLE and cognitive deficits, was warranted.

Also, consider again that it was one case and a special set of

circumstances at that: an airline flight attendant with saline and then

silicone breast implants and a user of L-tryptophan for sleep.

This is not to say that hyperbaric oxygen therapy is without merit for

certain medical conditions and other legitimate, effective uses will not

be discovered. It has been used for many, many years to successfully

treat divers with " the bends, " wound patients, and those suffering from

carbon monoxide poisoning, to name a few. More treatments will emerge,

I'm sure; however, I don't see this article as proof that it is

worthwhile in lupus or scleroderma. An interesting case? Yes. Food for

thought or impetus to investigate further? Yes. Cognitive dysfunction is

a very serious problem for some lupus patients and it would be marvelous

if HBOT could offer improvement.

As the QuackWatch site suggested though, checking with the Undersea and

Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) is probably the best place to start if

you wish to investigate the safe, approved application of such therapy

or, at the very least, if you wish to experiment on yourself, find out

if the provider of such a service has training:

http://www.uhms.org/

A good write-up about HBOT therapy from eMedicine.com:

http://www.emedicine.com/plastic/topic526.htm

The use of HBOT to treat Raynaud's, especially as it applies to

Raynaud's-induced ulcers that won't heal is intriguing and sounds

plausible to me. I also read elsewhere that certain digestive problems

in systemic sclerosis may possibly improve after HBOT. That seems

believable as well. Unfortunately, there is very little data out there

on these and other applications related to rheumatic diseases. And HBOT

is very expensive.

Please don't misunderstand me. I am not opposed to alternative or

complementary therapies as long as there is some strong evidence that

they work for the disease in question and pose no large risk to the

patient either medically, emotionally, or financially. Both conventional

medicine and unconventional medicine have their place in the treatment

of rheumatic disease. It upsets me greatly when either or both camps

take advantage, primarily for money, of patients quite desperate to

regain their health. Sadly, both sides do.

Be careful out there!

[Guest guest]

--: Thank you for your thought it was something I wanted to look

at and investigate...my best friend is an editor and had come across

some research on hypbaric therapy and asked if I had ever heard of it

in connection with autoimmune disease....I never jump at anything

until I look long and hard and usually try to actually have a one on

one with people that have under gone the treatment...it is like

anything you read...beieve half of what you hear and a fourth of what

you read...I do find this concept very interesting though especially

the ischemic connection......it makes sense to me...once again Dear

...thank you.......Kathi in OK

- In @y..., " " <Matsumura_Clan@m...> wrote:

> I urge caution when interpreting the 1995 article on hyperbaric

oxygen

> therapy (HBOT )used to treat a scleroderma/lupus overlap patient

which

> was put up on the web site below, Kathi:

>

> http://www.hbot4u.com/lupus1.html

>

> Although one of the authors listed is undoubtedly one of my personal

> favorites in the rheumatology world, Dr. J. Wallace (author

of

> " The Lupus Book, " " All About Fibromyalgia, " " All About

Osteoarthritis, "

> and lead editor of the world-famous " Dubois' Lupus Erythematosus "

for

> physicians, not to mention many other published works), the article,

> which was originally published in the journal " Lupus, " as displayed

at

> the above-mentioned site is quite poorly transcribed. I don't have

> access to the journal. I wish I did because I would like to view the

> original work.

>

> In addition, a paper from 1995 used in support of an alternative

> therapy in 2002 is getting relatively old, especially when it deals

with

> a case study (one patient). If there were more recent, compelling

case

> studies or research on greater numbers of patients on this specific

> topic, I'm sure they would be listed at that and the other similar

sites

> selling hyperbaric services I came upon which also reference the

very

> same article. In the conclusion of the paper, the authors themselves

> state, " Very little is known about the influence of hyperbaric

oxygen on

> the immune system. "

>

> I could find no reference to hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a

recommended

> general treatment of lupus in either of the lupus books of

Wallace's. I

> came up empty-handed at the Lupus Foundation as well. Most

importantly,

> in the article, the authors did NOT conclude that HBOT is a cure or

even

> a general treatment for people with a scleroderma/lupus overlap.

They

> stated that the patient's cognitive dysfunction appeared to improve

> resulting from hyperbaric oxygen therapy and that, perhaps, further

> investigation of HBOT as it applies to rheumatic disease,

particularly

> as it pertains to SLE and cognitive deficits, was warranted.

>

> Also, consider again that it was one case and a special set of

> circumstances at that: an airline flight attendant with saline and

then

> silicone breast implants and a user of L-tryptophan for sleep.

>

> This is not to say that hyperbaric oxygen therapy is without merit

for

> certain medical conditions and other legitimate, effective uses will

not

> be discovered. It has been used for many, many years to successfully

> treat divers with " the bends, " wound patients, and those suffering

from

> carbon monoxide poisoning, to name a few. More treatments will

emerge,

> I'm sure; however, I don't see this article as proof that it is

> worthwhile in lupus or scleroderma. An interesting case? Yes. Food

for

> thought or impetus to investigate further? Yes. Cognitive

dysfunction is

> a very serious problem for some lupus patients and it would be

marvelous

> if HBOT could offer improvement.

>

> As the QuackWatch site suggested though, checking with the Undersea

and

> Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) is probably the best place to

start if

> you wish to investigate the safe, approved application of such

therapy

> or, at the very least, if you wish to experiment on yourself, find

out

> if the provider of such a service has training:

>

> http://www.uhms.org/

>

>

> A good write-up about HBOT therapy from eMedicine.com:

>

> http://www.emedicine.com/plastic/topic526.htm

>

>

> The use of HBOT to treat Raynaud's, especially as it applies to

> Raynaud's-induced ulcers that won't heal is intriguing and sounds

> plausible to me. I also read elsewhere that certain digestive

problems

> in systemic sclerosis may possibly improve after HBOT. That seems

> believable as well. Unfortunately, there is very little data out

there

> on these and other applications related to rheumatic diseases. And

HBOT

> is very expensive.

>

> Please don't misunderstand me. I am not opposed to alternative or

> complementary therapies as long as there is some strong evidence

that

> they work for the disease in question and pose no large risk to the

> patient either medically, emotionally, or financially. Both

conventional

> medicine and unconventional medicine have their place in the

treatment

> of rheumatic disease. It upsets me greatly when either or both camps

> take advantage, primarily for money, of patients quite desperate to

> regain their health. Sadly, both sides do.

>

> Be careful out there!

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Kathi,

I¹m glad you are proceeding with great caution. It bothers me the way ONE

person

responds yet they make it sound like it¹s been well researched on autoimmune

diseases.

This research is very interesting, but it sounds scary too.

Here is some more reading on it:

Auto immune disorders and Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy

http://www.tell-us-your-story.com/_disc68b/00000016.htm

Information about using HBOT for auto-immune diseases:

http://www.healing-arts.org/children/hyperbaric.htm#HBOT%20 & %20auto-immune%2

0diseases

Modulation of Immune Response

http://www.baromedical.com/newsletter/010203.html

I hope they do more research on this. It sounds like it could be promising.

I would be

leary about articles that are written by those making money on this

treatment.

I¹ll keep looking for more info.

a

> --: Thank you for your thought it was something I wanted to look

> at and investigate...my best friend is an editor and had come across

> some research on hypbaric therapy and asked if I had ever heard of it

> in connection with autoimmune disease....I never jump at anything

> until I look long and hard and usually try to actually have a one on

> one with people that have under gone the treatment...it is like

> anything you read...beieve half of what you hear and a fourth of what

> you read...I do find this concept very interesting though especially

> the ischemic connection......it makes sense to me...once again Dear

> ...thank you.......Kathi in OK

>