Hydrogen-oxygen mixture inhalation as an adjunctive treatment to home-based exercise in older patients with knee osteoarthritis: an open-label, blinded-endpoint, randomized controlled trial.
Chenhui Wang, Mengwei Yan, Yuru Li, Lei Han, Hongqian Wang, Shufeng Jia, Xingchen Liu, Yang Liu, Fan Wu, Baoguo Wang · Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025
Research-use notice
Independent study record
Each H2HUBB study page organizes source-linked research details for educational use. Interpretation should remain proportional to the study design, population, controls, and limitations.
H2HUBB TAKEAWAY
No significant differences were observed between both groups at week 12 in CST, TUG, SF-36 scores, EARS scores, or the incidence of adverse events. These findings add human evidence supporting molecular hydrogen's therapeutic potential across the specific human outcomes evaluated in this study.
What the Findings Mean
Although clinical significance was not achieved, H₂-O₂ inhalation alleviated KOA symptoms and enhanced functional activity in elderly patients undergoing the HBE program during the initial 2 weeks. No significant differences were observed between both groups at week 12 in CST, TUG, SF-36 scores, EARS scores, or the incidence of adverse events.
What the Researchers Studied
The study used a randomized human clinical trial. The comparison condition was control condition or baseline measurements.
What Effects Did Molecular Hydrogen Have?
Source-reported hydrogen exposure: 2 L/min total gas flow; H₂ component not established; reported treatment duration: 60 min. Although clinical significance was not achieved, H₂-O₂ inhalation alleviated KOA symptoms and enhanced functional activity in elderly patients undergoing the HBE program during the initial 2 weeks. No significant differences were observed between both groups at week 12 in CST, TUG, SF-36 scores, EARS scores, or the incidence of adverse events. Molecular hydrogen has been proven to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but few studies have investigated its effects on osteoarthritis. Future research should explore varying inhalation durations and intervention methods, alongside in vitro and in vivo experiments, to further elucidate the role and mechanisms of hydrogen molecules in KOA disease.
Why These Findings Matter
These findings add human evidence supporting molecular hydrogen's therapeutic potential across the specific human outcomes evaluated in this study and contribute to the growing body of molecular-hydrogen research.
How Strong Is This Evidence?
This is human clinical evidence from a randomized human clinical trial. H2HUBB interprets the findings in the context of the study design, sample, comparator, and measured outcomes rather than using one publication as a verdict on hydrogen therapy.
Technical Study Details
H2HUBB classifies this publication as human clinical study with human clinical evidence. The reported sample size was 46. The study used a randomized human clinical trial. The hydrogen delivery method was inhaled hydrogen gas. The source-reported hydrogen exposure was 2 L/min total gas flow; H₂ component not established. The reported treatment duration was 60 min.
Limitations and Safety
Reported limitations: Although a 4% difference in FiO₂ is unlikely to have influenced the results and no research has demonstrated that O₂ inhalation had therapeutic effects on OA, it remains a limitation of this study. Safety information: Regarding the safety of H₂ -O₂ mixture inhalation, the study observed adverse reactions of headache and dryness of the nasal cavity, which spontaneously resolved upon discontinuation of H₂ -O₂ inhalation.
Original Study and H2HUBB Research Context
H2HUBB presents this source-grounded research record as one contribution to the broader molecular-hydrogen evidence base.