RecruitingPhase 3

Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment for Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury

United States420 participantsStarted 2024-09-18

Plain-language summary

The goal of this blinded, adaptive, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial is to investigate the use of hyperbaric oxygen as a therapy to treat mild to moderate traumatic brain injury in Veterans and active military. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) reduce neurobehavioral symptoms? (Aim 1) * How many HBOT sessions are needed to achieve a significant reduction in neurobehavioral symptoms? (Aim 2) * Does HBOT reduce posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms? (Aim 3) Exploratory objectives will explore if there are changes in: 1.) cognitive functioning using neuropsychological tests and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) toolbox, 2.) inflammation biomarkers in blood, 3.) microbiome in stool samples, 4.) electroencephalogram (EEG), 5.) sleep characteristics, and 6.) fMRI. Research will compare HBOT therapy to a placebo condition to see if HBOT works to treat neurobehavioral symptoms. The placebo condition is a chamber that remains unpressurized and has 21% oxygen. Participants will: 1. Complete baseline assessments to determine eligibility. 2. Attend 40 sessions of HBOT or placebo (normal air) within 12 weeks. 3. Complete questionnaires and interviews throughout the course of the study. 4. Complete a 2-week post treatment visit

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years – 75 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion criteria

. U.S. Service Members and Veterans, between 18 and 75 years of age
. Ability to read, write, and speak English.
. Ability to provide informed consent.
. History of TBI. Participants must have a minimum of 1 year post injury and a TBI classified as mild to moderate as determined by with the Ohio State University TBI Identification Method (Bogner, 2009).
. Experiencing chronic symptoms of TBI as determined by at least a NSI total score of ≥22 (based on previous work using this score; Harch et al., 2020.
. Able to tolerate the HBOT environment lying down for one hour.

Exclusion criteria

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Change from Baseline in the Neurobehavioral Symptoms at 2 weeks Post Intervention

Timeframe: at 2 weeks post treatment

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06581003

SponsorUniversity of South Florida

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2028-08-15

Contact for this trial

Erik Velasquez

813-905-1043 erikv@usf.edu

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Traumatic Brain Injury trials