This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Prof Ivo Petrov postulated on the role of gas exchange to account for immediate patient improvements and is absolutely convinced that: CCSVI is strongly associated with MS
Endovascular treatment of CCSVI is feasible and safe
Methods and strategies reducing late vein restenosis/rethrombosis have to be elaborated.

Is CO2 implicated in this at all?

I bet Cheer knows....

I don't think CO2 is implicated. My point was that maybe the gas exchange referred to exchanging O2 for CO2. That process would be impeded when blood flow is reduced.

Previous studies (1, 25, 30) indicate that CO2 also has major effects on autoregulation and cerebral blood flow. Specifically, during hypercapnia, the CBF increases and autoregulation is impaired, whereas in hypocapnia, CBF decreases and autoregulation is improved. http://ajpheart.physiology.org/content/286/2/H584.full

at the risk of sounding completely ridiculous, has anyone on here ever jumped in a hyperbaric chamber? or even a bit further...noticed any differences while being indoors somewhere where the oxygen is a bit more pure. ie vegas hotels/casinos? oxygen bars? i know its a stretch, but... you never know, right?

i might add, i had the procedure done and noticed immediate relief of the following three symptoms in this order. and i had the procedure done with absolutely no sedatives.

cold hands, warmed as soon as they pulled the wire out of my vein
cog fog lifted 10-15 minutes after the wire was pulled
balance was nearly 60-70% better and hour after procedure

but

all symptoms came back three hours after procedure as well...

Abstract
Background
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, recurrent and progressive illness with no cure. On the basis of speculative pathophysiology, it has been suggested that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) may slow or reverse the progress of the disease.

Objectives
The object of this review was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HBOT in the treatment of MS.

Search strategy
We searched the Cochrane MS Group trials register (January 2010), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library, Issue 1, 2010), MEDLINE (January 1966 to July 2009) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) database (January 2010), along with specialised hyperbaric resources and handsearching of relevant journals and proceedings.

Selection criteria
All randomised, controlled trials involving a comparison between HBOT and a sham therapy in MS were evaluated.

Data collection and analysis
Two reviewers independently appraised all comparative trials identified, extracted data and scored them for methodological quality.

Main results
We identified ten reports of nine trials that satisfied selection criteria (504 participants in total). Two trials produced generally positive results, while the remaining seven reported generally no evidence of a treatment effect. None of our three a priori subgroup analyses placed these two trials in the same group and were therefore unable to account for this difference. Three analyses (of 21) did indicate some benefit. For example, the mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) at 12 months was improved in the HBOT group (group mean reduction in EDSS compared to sham -0.85 of a point, 95% confidence interval -1.28 to -0.42, P = 0.0001). Only the two generally positive trials reported on this outcome at this time (16% of the total participants in this review).

Authors' conclusions
We found no consistent evidence to confirm a beneficial effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and do not believe routine use is justified. The small number of analyses suggestive of benefit are isolated, difficult to ascribe with biological plausibility and would need to be confirmed in future well-designed trials. Such trials are not, in our view, justified by this review.

The small number of analyses suggestive of benefit are isolated, difficult to ascribe with biological plausibility and would need to be confirmed in future well-designed trials.

...
i might add, i had the procedure done and noticed immediate relief of the following three symptoms in this order. and i had the procedure done with absolutely no sedatives.

cold hands, warmed as soon as they pulled the wire out of my vein
cog fog lifted 10-15 minutes after the wire was pulled
balance was nearly 60-70% better and hour after procedure

but

all symptoms came back three hours after procedure as well...

In my opinion, feeling of warmth in the legs and/or arms, immediate after intervention, is just a known notorious side effect of injection of contrast media - mainly iodine - that is used by int. radiologist to monitor procedure.

Those affects last a few minutes only. i think this is sympathetic nervous in origin. Sweating also improves.