Effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) on osteoblasts of elderly patients on calcification and osteoprotegerin

Lisa Oezel 1, Johannes Schneppendahl 1 2, Jan-Peter Grassmann 1 3, Pia Flender 1, Sven Dreyer 1, Vera Grotheer 4

PMID: 40741071 PMCID: PMC12304694 (available on 2026-09-01) DOI: 10.1016/j.jor.2025.06.017

Abstract

Background: Osteoporosis stands as one of the most prevalent bone diseases worldwide. This study aims to explore the effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) therapy and substances that reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as antioxidants, on osteogenic differentiation and key osteoporosis-related parameters in osteoblasts derived from elderly patients requiring hip arthroplasty.

Results: HBO therapy prompted osteogenic differentiation in all three experimental groups after 21 days, with statistically significant findings (p = 0.0125) in osteoblasts with age-appropriate bone density. Furthermore, the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), an enzyme indicative of bone synthesis, demonstrated significant increases across all groups following HBO treatment (normal BMD and osteoporotic cells: p = 0.04; osteopenic cells: p = 0.006).

Conclusions: These findings suggest that HBO therapy holds potential as an adjunctive or investigational treatment for elderly patients to enhance bone density or facilitate bone healing post-fracture, especially in those with normal or osteopenic bone density. This approach could potentially influence clinical practices in the future.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40741071/