Hydrogen Therapy Helps 85-Year-Old Woman with Severe Arthritis
A Case Report of Adjuvant Molecular Hydrogen Therapy in Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis With Atlantoaxial Subluxation
Research hubs: Rheumatoid Arthritis · Musculoskeletal System · Brain & Nervous System
- Evidence type
- Case report or series · Human study
- Authors
- You-Chi Ren, Jeng-Wei Lu, Yi-Jung Ho, Shan-Wen Lui, Ting-Yu Hsieh, Kuang-Yih Wang, Feng-Cheng Liu
- Journal
- In Vivo
- Year
- 2025
- PMID
- 41167690
- Study Type
- Human
- Participants
- 1
- Delivery
- Gas (Sustained Release)
- Dose
- molecular hydrogen therapy initiated in June 2023
- Funding
- Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST 111-2314-B-016-026); National Science and Technology Council (NSTC 112-2314-B-016-033); National Science and Technology Council (NSTC 114-2314-B-016-052-MY3); Tri-Service General Hospital (TSGH-E-111215); Tri-Service General Hospital (TSGH-E-112218)
- Conflicts of interest
- None declared
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 1 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- Taiwan
TL;DR
In an elderly RA patient with methotrexate intolerance and severe cervical spine disease, molecular hydrogen therapy improved fatigue and showed immunomodulatory effects, suggesting potential as an adjuvant.
Key Finding
An elderly patient with treatment-resistant rheumatoid arthritis showed improvements in fatigue and changes in immune cell populations after receiving molecular hydrogen as an adjuvant therapy, though this is a single case with limited follow-up.
Summary
This case report describes an 85-year-old woman with severe, long-standing rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune disease attacking joints) who could not tolerate standard medications. She received molecular hydrogen therapy (hydrogen gas with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties) as an additional treatment starting in June 2023. Her fatigue improved, and her immune cells showed changes suggesting the hydrogen may have affected her immune system, though she ultimately declined surgery for a serious spine condition and chose palliative care.
Practical Takeaway
While this case suggests molecular hydrogen may have immunomodulatory effects in rheumatoid arthritis, it represents only one patient's experience and cannot establish whether hydrogen therapy is effective. Much larger controlled studies are needed before any conclusions can be drawn about its role in treating rheumatoid arthritis.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background/aim: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting synovial joints, often causing to joint destruction and systemic comorbidities. Cervical spine involvement, especially atlantoaxial subluxation (AAS), can lead to spinal cord compression and neurological deficits…