The long-term effect of ambulatory oxygen in normoxaemic COPD patients: a randomised study

TY - JOUR

T1 - The long-term effect of ambulatory oxygen in normoxaemic COPD patients

T2 - a randomised study

AU - Ringbaek, Thomas

AU - Martinez, Gerd

AU - Lange, Peter

PY - 2013/5

Y1 - 2013/5

N2 - Aim: To study the long-term benefits of ambulatory oxygen (AO) in combination with pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients experiencing exertional desaturation. Patients and methods: Normoxaemic COPD who participated in outpatient PR and desaturated >4% and <90% during endurance shuttle walk test (ESWT) were randomised to control (n = 23) or AO 2 L/min from a portable oxygen concentrator (n = 22) to be used during exercise. PR consisted of supervised training for 20 weeks combined with unsupervised daily training at home followed by 13 weeks without supervised training. Results: Only 45 of 165 eligible patients wanted to participate. Mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s = 32% (SD 13.8) and Medical Research Council (MRC) = 4.5 (3-5). Supplemental oxygen improved oxygen saturation during ESWT by 2.3% (95% CI: 1.2%-3.5%; p < 0.001). In the study period of 33 weeks, 10 and 6 patients withdrew from the AO group and control group, respectively. Patients spent an average of 7.9 h/week on oxygen. PR improved ESWT by 18,076 s (95% CI: 101-258 s; p < 0.001) and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score by 2.6 units (95% CI: 0.1-5.1 s; p = 0.04) after 7 weeks, and these gains remained at 33 weeks of evaluation. There were no differences between the AO group and control group at 33 weeks of evaluation with regard to change in ESWT (223 vs. 241 s; p = 0.32), change in SGRQ (-3.6 vs. -4.5 units, 0.91), and number of patients with acute exacerbation in COPD (AECOPD), hospital admission or dropout (17 of 22 vs. 20 of 23, p = 0.59). Conclusions: AO seems not to provide additional beneficial effects in patients with COPD participating in pulmonary rehabilitation and experiencing exertional desaturation without severe resting hypoxaemia.

AB - Aim: To study the long-term benefits of ambulatory oxygen (AO) in combination with pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients experiencing exertional desaturation. Patients and methods: Normoxaemic COPD who participated in outpatient PR and desaturated >4% and <90% during endurance shuttle walk test (ESWT) were randomised to control (n = 23) or AO 2 L/min from a portable oxygen concentrator (n = 22) to be used during exercise. PR consisted of supervised training for 20 weeks combined with unsupervised daily training at home followed by 13 weeks without supervised training. Results: Only 45 of 165 eligible patients wanted to participate. Mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s = 32% (SD 13.8) and Medical Research Council (MRC) = 4.5 (3-5). Supplemental oxygen improved oxygen saturation during ESWT by 2.3% (95% CI: 1.2%-3.5%; p < 0.001). In the study period of 33 weeks, 10 and 6 patients withdrew from the AO group and control group, respectively. Patients spent an average of 7.9 h/week on oxygen. PR improved ESWT by 18,076 s (95% CI: 101-258 s; p < 0.001) and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score by 2.6 units (95% CI: 0.1-5.1 s; p = 0.04) after 7 weeks, and these gains remained at 33 weeks of evaluation. There were no differences between the AO group and control group at 33 weeks of evaluation with regard to change in ESWT (223 vs. 241 s; p = 0.32), change in SGRQ (-3.6 vs. -4.5 units, 0.91), and number of patients with acute exacerbation in COPD (AECOPD), hospital admission or dropout (17 of 22 vs. 20 of 23, p = 0.59). Conclusions: AO seems not to provide additional beneficial effects in patients with COPD participating in pulmonary rehabilitation and experiencing exertional desaturation without severe resting hypoxaemia.

KW - Aged

KW - Combined Modality Therapy

KW - Disease Progression

KW - Exercise Test

KW - Exercise Therapy

KW - Exercise Tolerance

KW - Female

KW - Hospitalization

KW - Humans

KW - Longitudinal Studies

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Oxygen Inhalation Therapy

KW - Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

KW - Quality of Life

KW - Questionnaires

KW - Treatment Outcome

U2 - 10.1177/1479972312473135

DO - 10.1177/1479972312473135

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23431028

SN - 1479-9723

VL - 10

SP - 77

EP - 84

JO - Chronic Respiratory Disease

JF - Chronic Respiratory Disease

IS - 2

ER -