Progress in hyperbaric oxygen therapy for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: mechanisms and combination therapies.

Purpose of research: This review explores the therapeutic potential of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in treating neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), focusing on its mechanisms of action, combination strategies, and current research gaps.

Principal results: HBOT enhances neuroprotection by increasing arterial oxygen content, promoting neural tissue repair, modulating gene expression, and reducing oxidative stress. When combined with therapies such as therapeutic hypothermia, neurotrophic agents, antioxidants, or phenobarbital, HBOT exhibits synergistic effects. Clinical studies have demonstrated superior outcomes with HBOT-hypothermia combinations versus monotherapies. However, current literature lacks stratified analyses based on HIE severity, head-to-head comparisons of combination strategies, and long-term follow-up data. Moreover, most existing reviews focus solely on mechanisms, underrepresenting clinical applications.

Conclusions: HBOT holds promise as a non-invasive adjunct therapy for neonatal HIE, especially in combination with established treatments. Its safety has improved with advances in neonatal care, allowing broader clinical use. Nonetheless, standardized protocols, stratified clinical trials, and molecular-level studies are needed to optimize therapeutic strategies and enhance outcomes in affected infants.