The effect of stabilized hydrogen inhalation on clinical and functional parameters in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Antipushina DN, Smirnova MI, Gorshkov AYu, Strelkova AV, Ryzhakova LN, Emelyanov AV, Voinova SN, Ignatikova EN, Koshelyaevskaya YaN, Gufranov KF, Drapkina OM. · Russian Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2026;29(6):58–67.
What kind of evidence is this?
Human
Randomized blinded controlled pilot study
Respiratory health
Inhaled H₂
Mostly null between groups, with isolated secondary signals.
Symptoms, function, cardiopulmonary tests, laboratory measures and safety.
Methods at a glance
Outpatients with COPD in remission.
24 participants; H₂ group 13 and vapor-only group 11.
10 sessions, minimum eight, with follow-up at 28 days.
Stabilized H₂ with water vapor for 60 minutes daily.
Inhaled H₂-containing gas with water vapor.
At least 1% H₂; SUISONIA FRJ-220V device.
Device delivery as reported; a separate total flow was not stated.
No therapeutic oxygen co-delivery was reported.
Water-vapor inhalation without the H₂-generating cartridge.
Outcomes and reported result
CAT, quality of life, six-minute walk, spirometry, ECG, echocardiography, inflammation and adverse events.
Both groups improved on the primary CAT outcome without a clear between-group advantage; most tests were null, while selected 28-day pulmonary-pressure and walking comparisons favored H₂.
The full article methods, intervention, outcomes, positive and null findings, funding and conflict statements were checked.
A reported association, difference or mechanism is not automatically a clinical benefit. Null findings, outcome type, study design and precision all matter.
Cautions and applicability
Very small pilot with many outcomes; isolated secondary findings require cautious interpretation.
The reported COPD outpatient population and protocol only.
Cochrane RoB 2 — preliminary
Some concerns
Randomization and blinding were reported, but the small sample, multiple endpoints and isolated secondary findings create imprecision and reporting concerns.
Random sequence reported or described · Allocation concealment not fully established · Deviations and co-interventions checked · Outcome measurement checked by endpoint · No outcome-level protocol comparison completed
No single-study GRADE certainty rating is assigned. Certainty is assessed by important outcome across a complete eligible evidence set, not by attaching a final grade to one source.
Sources and record status
DOI: 10.17116/profmed20262906158 · DOI: 10.17116/profmed20262906158
A free publisher or repository full article was checked.
Publisher or repository full article and bibliographic record; checked 10 August 2026.
2026-08-10