Autoimmune diseases

What Are Autoimmune Diseases?

Autoimmune diseases constitute a heterogeneous group of chronic conditions in which the immune system attacks healthy tissues and organs of the body itself.

Despite the diversity of their clinical manifestations—from the joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis to the nerves affected by multiple sclerosis and the blood vessels affected by vasculitis—they share a common biological basis: pathological immune activation, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress that damage target tissues.

Hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy does not replace immunomodulatory or biologic treatment, which remains the cornerstone of managing autoimmune diseases.

It functions as a complementary intervention that addresses the biological consequences of chronic autoimmune inflammation: it improves the oxygenation of tissues that have suffered ischemic damage, reduces chronic inflammation, and restores impaired functions, thereby substantially improving the patient’s quality of life.

What Are the Key Characteristics of the Treatment?

In autoimmune diseases, hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy primarily utilizes four properties. First, it exerts an immunomodulatory effect: it inhibits the Th17/IL-17 axis involved in many autoimmune inflammatory processes, while enhancing regulatory T cells (Tregs), which help control autoimmunity.

Second, it systematically reduces inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6), which are key mediators of tissue damage. Third, it improves the oxygenation of tissues affected by vascular damage caused by chronic inflammation. Fourth, it activates antioxidant systems that counteract the oxidative stress associated with autoimmune diseases.

These effects are not localized to a single organ; they act systemically, making the method potentially applicable to conditions with multisystem manifestations.

Scientific Evidence

The scientific evidence for the use of hyperbaric oxygen in autoimmune diseases is at different stages of maturity depending on the condition.

For multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease, there are clinical studies with evaluated outcomes. For other indications, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and vasculitis, the available data come from case series and experimental studies, with encouraging but still developing results.

The common scientific rationale is the ability of hyperbaric oxygen to modulate the immune response by reducing pathological activation and enhancing regulatory mechanisms.

This immunomodulatory effect, combined with its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, provides the biological basis for its use in the field of autoimmune diseases.