Hyperbaric medicine

We study the effects of oxygen pressure in patients treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and healthy humans in extreme environments.

A picture of Anders Kjellberg och Peter Lindholm.
Anders Kjellberg and Peter Lindholm Photo: Johanna Hanno

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a clinical method used for 14 different diagnoses where oxygen is given at 240-280 kPa (compared to breathing room air ~21kPa or breathing pure oxygen ~100kPa). The chamber is located at the Karolinska University Hospital in Solna.

Research projects

Hyperbaric Oxygen for Treatment of Long COVID syndrome; A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Phase II Clinical Trial

Principal Investigator Anders Kjellberg
Contact Person: Anders Kjellberg
Coordinating Investigator: Peter Lindholm

Link to clincal trials

Financial support: Swedish Research Council, The Swedish Heart Lung Foundation and Avtal om Läkarutbildning och Forskning (ALF).

A Randomized, Controlled, Open Label, Multicentre Clinical Trial to explore Safety and Efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen for preventing ICU admission, Morbidity and Mortality in Adult Patients With COVID-19

Coordinating investigator Anders Kjellberg

Sponsor representative Peter Lindholm

Contact: Anders Kjellberg

Read more about the clinical trial Safety and Efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen for ARDS in Patients With COVID-19 (COVID-19-HBO)

Selected publications

Randomised, controlled, open label, multicentre clinical trial to explore safety and efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen for preventing ICU admission, morbidity and mortality in adult patients with COVID-19
Kjellberg A, Douglas J, Pawlik M T, Kraus M, Oscarsson N, Zheng X et al
BMJ Open, protocol

Can hyperbaric oxygen safely serve as an anti-inflammatory treatment for COVID-19?
Kjellberg A, De Maio A, Lindholm P 
Med Hypotheses 2020 Nov;144():110224


Biomarkers in HBOT

PhD-project for Anders Kjellberg.
Main supervisor P. Lindholm.

Supervisors K.Rodriguez-Wallberge S.Catrina, X.Zheng and E.Weitzberg

Biomarkers for oxidative stress and HIF1 upregulation during Hyperbaric Oxygen and Ischemia Reperfusion Injury- a Translational project on Hyperbaric oxygen for Preconditioning.


Rich-Art study group

Local PI KI Anders Kjellberg. PI Niclas Oscarsson.

Selected publications

Radiation-induced cystitis treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (RICH-ART): a randomised, controlled, phase 2-3 trial.
Oscarsson N, Müller B, Rosén A, Lodding P, Mölne J, Giglio D, et al
Lancet Oncol. 2019 Nov;20(11):1602-1614


Imaging and the lung in diving medicine

Selected publications

From Ocean Deep to Mountain High: Similar Computed Tomography Findings in Immersion and High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema.
Lindholm P, Swenson ER, Martínez-Jiménez S, Guo HH
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2018 10;198(8):1088-1089

Transient ischemic attacks from arterial gas embolism induced by glossopharyngeal insufflation and a possible method to identify individuals at risk.
Schiffer TA, Lindholm P
Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 2013 Mar;113(3):803-10

A fluoroscopic and laryngoscopic study of glossopharyngeal insufflation and exsufflation.
Lindholm P, Norris CM, Braver JM, Jacobson F, Ferrigno M
Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2009 Jun;167(2):189-94

Pulmonary edema and hemoptysis after breath-hold diving at residual volume.
Lindholm P, Ekborn A, Oberg D, Gennser M
J. Appl. Physiol. 2008 Apr;104(4):912-7

Studies on inspiratory and expiratory glossopharyngeal breathing in breath-hold divers employing magnetic resonance imaging and spirometry.
Lindholm P, Nyrén S
Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 2005 Aug;94(5-6):646-51


Hypoxia and hyperoxia

Selected publications

Aerobic efficiency is associated with the improvement in maximal power output during acute hyperoxia.
Manselin TA, Södergård O, Larsen FJ, Lindholm P
Physiol Rep 2017 Jan;5(2):

Alveolar gas composition before and after maximal breath-holds in competitive divers.
Lindholm P, Lundgren CE
Undersea Hyperb Med ;33(6):463-7

Aggravated hypoxia during breath-holds after prolonged exercise.
Lindholm P, Gennser M
Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 2005 Mar;93(5-6):701-7

Oxygen-conserving effects of apnea in exercising men.
Lindholm P, Sundblad P, Linnarsson D
J. Appl. Physiol. 1999 Dec;87(6):2122-7

Magnetic resonance imaging in pulmonary embolism (Dr Lindholms radiology research)

PhD-student: Deepa Gopalan

MD, PhD: Koshiar Medson

Selected publications

Abnormal Pulmonary Venous Filling: An Adjunct Feature in the Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiogram Assessment of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.
Gopalan D, Nordgren-Rogberg A, Le EPV, Pavey H, Tarkin J, Nyrén S, et al
J Am Heart Assoc 2020 Nov;9(21):e018075

Detection of pulmonary embolism using repeated MRI acquisitions without respiratory gating: a preliminary study.
Nyrén S, Nordgren Rogberg A, Vargas Paris R, Bengtsson B, Westerlund E, Lindholm P
Acta Radiol 2017 Mar;58(3):272-278

Do radiologists detect chronic thromboembolic disease on computed tomography?
Rogberg AN, Gopalan D, Westerlund E, Lindholm P
Acta Radiol 2019 Nov;60(11):1576-1583

Primary diagnosis of pulmonary embolism with unenhanced MRI for patients not eligible for CTPA: Clinical outcome.
Medson K, Vargas-Paris R, Nordgren-Rogberg A, Sigbergsdottir A, Nyrén S, Lindholm P
Eur J Radiol Open 2019 ;6():315-319

Support our research

Group members

  • Peter Lindholm, MD, PhD, Research group leader, Associate professor (Docent) in physiology and radiology, senior consultant in radiology, previously at Karolinska University Hospital. Currently professor at UCSD
  • Anders Kjellberg, MD, DESA, EDIC, Doktorand/PhD-Student, ICU Consultant (Biträdande överläkare), Head of Unit for Hyperbaric medicine, Perioperative Medicine and Intensive Care (PMI)
  • Koshiar Medson, MD, PhD
  • Lovisa Liwenborg  Medical student
  • Lina Abdel-Halim, MD

Collaborations

  • Kenny Rodriguez-Wallberg, Professor, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet.
  • Nicklas Oscarsson, MD, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothemburg.
  • Sergiu-Bogdan Catrina, Lecturer/senior physician, Research group leader of the group Growth and Metabolism, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Insitutet.
  • Bo-Michael Bellander, Lecturer senior, adjunct, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet.
  • Xiao-Wei Zheng, Senior lab manager, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet.
  • Agneta Larsson, Affiliated to research, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet.
  • Eddie Weitzberg, Professor/senior physician of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet.
  • Michael Nekludov, MD, PhD, postdoc, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet.
  • Malin Nygren-Bonnier, Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer,  Division of Physiotherapy, Department of NVS, Karolinska Institutet and the Medical Unit of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy at the Karolinska University Hospital.
  • Judith Bruchfeld, Affiliated to research, Department of Medicine at Karolinska Institutet.
  • Marcus Ståhlberg, Affiliated to research, Department of Medicine at Karolinska Institutet.
  • Mikael Runold, Överläkare Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset
  • Anna Norrby-Teglund, MD, PhD, Professor, Center for Infectious Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and Karolinska University Hospital.
  • Folke Lind, M.D., Ph.D., FUHM, Assistant Professor (retired), Karolinska Insitutet, Physician Emeritus, Karolinska University hospital, Senior Consultant Hyperbaric Medicine
  • John Pernow, Professor i kardiologi vid institutionen för medicin, Karolinska Institutet
  • Carl-Johan Sundberg, Professor i molekylär och tillämpad arbetsfysiologi vid institutionen för fysiologi och farmakologi, samt prefekt vid institutionen för lärande, informatik, management och etik (LIME), Karolinska Institutet

Contact

Peter Lindholm

Lecturer
Hyperbaric medicine
C3 Department of Physiology and Pharmacology

Anders Kjellberg

PhD Student
Hyperbaric medicine
C3 Department of Physiology and Pharmacology
PL
Content reviewer:
Linda Nilsson
11-11-2022