New Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Clinical Trial

Long COVID: Exploring Oxygen Therapy to Improve Life After COVID

This study looks at how hyperbaric oxygen therapy might help people with Long COVID feel better, especially those with lasting brain fog and memory problems.

Mariangela Canaan, MD
August 21, 2025
3 min read
understanding Long COVID, symptoms, and trial's focus

A New Horizon in Long COVID Research

Clinical trials help doctors find new ways to treat hard health problems. This trial, Quality of Life After Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Post-COVID Patients (NCT06159309), studies a special oxygen treatment to help people with Long COVID who have trouble thinking and remembering. This condition affects many people and can make daily life very hard.

Understanding new research is a top priority for patients and caregivers seeking information on treatment options, managing side effects, and exploring potential avenues for improvement. This post aims to provide a clear overview of what this trial is about and how it could potentially impact the future of Long COVID care.

Understanding Long COVID and the Need for New Treatments

understanding Long COVID

Long COVID is a condition after a COVID-19 infection where people keep having symptoms like tiredness, memory loss, and anxiety for months. It is a lung and virus-related illness that can last a long time. While some treatments exist, they often don't work very well. This trial studies hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which may help improve symptoms and quality of life, especially for those with memory and thinking problems.

Curated Facts and Expert Data

PubMed: This systematic review looked at ten clinical studies to see how well hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) works for people with Long COVID. The review found that HBOT can make a difference by improving overall quality of life, reducing tiredness, helping with thinking and memory problems, easing symptoms like anxiety or depression, and supporting heart and lung function. The review also says that larger studies are needed to make clear guidelines about how HBOT should be used for Long COVID. [1].

PubMed: This safety report from a randomized clinical trial followed 20 people with Long COVID who got HBOT. Most side effects were mild, like cough or chest discomfort. The board in charge of patient safety said HBOT was generally safe for this group so far, but more research is needed to see how effective it is. [2].

Long COVID Symptoms

Long COVID can manifest in various ways, but some of the most common symptoms include:

  • Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
  • Memory loss (trouble remembering things)
  • Anxiety (feeling worried or nervous)
  • Cognitive complaints (problems with thinking and concentration)

These symptoms can make everyday activities and work very difficult. Understanding them helps patients and caregivers see why treatments like hyperbaric oxygen therapy are being studied to improve quality of life.

Introducing the Trial's Focus: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

The Hyperbaric Oxygen Study is looking at hyperbaric oxygen therapy, a treatment where patients breathe pure oxygen in a special pressurized room to help their body heal.

What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) helps by giving your body extra pure oxygen in a pressured chamber. This extra oxygen can help repair damaged tissues and improve brain function that might be affected by Long COVID. It’s like giving your body a boost to heal better.

This study is designed to see if this oxygen therapy improves quality of life and brain function in Long COVID patients over one year and if it helps people return to their normal work activities.

Mechanism of Action

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases the amount of oxygen in your blood by having you breathe pure oxygen in a high-pressure chamber. This extra oxygen helps the body repair damaged tissues and improve brain function, which may be lowered after COVID-19 infection.

This therapy is a new approach for Long COVID that has shown promising early results but has not been studied for long-term benefits or work recovery. The study aims to provide more proof for its usefulness over time.

Trial design

The study follows patients over time as they receive their usual hyperbaric oxygen therapy to understand how their quality of life changes, using questionnaires and doctor visits. It helps get realistic results from patients treated in real-life settings.

Why is this Trial Important for Patients?

The Hyperbaric Oxygen Study (NCT06159309) embodies this important role in helping patients with Long COVID by:

  • Offering patients with Long COVID a chance for better quality of life and relief from lingering symptoms.
  • Exploring a treatment that might help patients return to work and regain normal daily routines.
  • Adding valuable knowledge on how hyperbaric oxygen therapy affects Long COVID symptoms, guiding future care decisions.

Who Can Participate? Eligibility at a Glance

Clinical trials have specific criteria to ensure the safety of participants and the validity of the study results. For the Hyperbaric Oxygen Study trial, key eligibility criteria include:

  • Age: Participants must be 18 years or older
  • Diagnosis: Must have Long COVID with cognitive (thinking and memory) symptoms lasting more than 3 months after COVID-19 infection
  • Language: Must understand and read Dutch
  • Ability: Must be able to fill out questionnaires and give informed consent

What to Expect as a Participant

If you join the Hyperbaric Oxygen Study, here is what will happen:

  • Screening: A series of tests and evaluations to confirm your eligibility at no cost.
  • Treatment Period: You will receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy, usually 40 sessions in a pressurized chamber with oxygen, guided by doctors specializing in this care.
  • Monitoring: Regular doctor visits and filling out questionnaires will keep track of your symptoms, side effects, and overall health. The study team will support you throughout this.
  • Follow-up: You will be asked to complete questionnaires 3 months and 12 months after treatment to see how you are doing over time.

The duration of your participation will vary depending on the study design, but the research team will explain the full commitment before enrollment.

Potential Risks and Benefits

Like all medical interventions, participation in a clinical trial carries both potential benefits and risks.

Potential Benefits:

  • Access to a new treatment before it’s widely available.
  • Close monitoring by a team of medical experts.
  • Contributing to medical knowledge that could help future patients with Long COVID.

Potential Risks:

  • The new treatment may not be effective for you.
  • There are minimal risks since the study mostly involves questionnaires and standard treatment. However, side effects from oxygen therapy are monitored closely by doctors.
  • The time commitment for study visits and procedures.

A detailed explanation of all potential risks and benefits will be provided during the informed consent process.

How to Learn More and Get Involved

The Hyperbaric Oxygen Study (NCT06159309) is active and taking place in several centers in the Netherlands including Hoogeveen, Geldrop, Waalwijk, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, and Amersfoort.

If you are interested in potentially participating, it is crucial to discuss these criteria with your healthcare provider. They can determine if you meet the specific requirements. You may share this link with your provider’s email address, or have them visit ClinQuestAi.com and type in NCT06159309.

Remember: Deciding to participate in a clinical trial is a personal choice. It’s important to discuss all aspects of the trial with your healthcare provider to ensure it’s the right decision for your individual health situation.

Further Reading:

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