Effect of hydrogen gas inhalation on T lymphocyte subsets in infectious mononucleosis
Liu H, Song S, Li J, Liu S, Yan J, Yan J, Li L, Li N, Wang P, Yin X, Wei Y, Lin A. · Adv Clin Med. 2021;11(10):4424–4430.
What kind of evidence is this?
Human
Randomized controlled parallel study
Immune and inflammatory conditions
Inhaled H₂
Reported positive immune-cell signal with high uncertainty.
Symptoms, immune-cell laboratory outcomes and reported safety.
Methods at a glance
Children aged 1–10 years with infectious mononucleosis.
60 children; 30 per group.
10 days.
Standard acyclovir and symptomatic care plus 66.7% H₂/33.3% O₂ inhalation.
Inhaled hydrogen–oxygen mixture.
66.7% H₂ and 33.3% O₂ at 3 L/min for 60 minutes daily.
3 L/min.
33.3% O₂ was co-delivered.
Standard acyclovir and symptomatic care without the gas intervention.
Outcomes and reported result
Clinical symptoms, CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte subsets and adverse events.
Both groups changed over time; reported changes in CD4, CD8 and CD4/CD8 ratios favored the gas-intervention group, with no obvious adverse events reported.
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
Single-center, unclear concealment and blinding, co-delivered oxygen and limited clinical-outcome reporting.
Children with infectious mononucleosis receiving the stated standard care.
Cochrane RoB 2 — preliminary
High risk
Random-number-table allocation was reported, but concealment, blinding and protocol-based outcome selection were not established; oxygen co-delivery complicates attribution.
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: 10.12677/acm.2021.1110648 · DOI: 10.12677/acm.2021.1110648
A free publisher or repository full article was checked.
Publisher or repository full article and bibliographic record; checked 10 August 2026.
2026-08-10