HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Eaton, T. Articles by West, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Eaton, T. Articles by West, T.

Short-burst oxygen therapy for COPD patients: a 6-month randomised, controlled study

¹ Respiratory Services, Auckland City Hospital, and ² Dept of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

CORRESPONDENCE: T. Eaton, Respiratory Services, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland 1, New Zealand. Fax: 64 96310712. E-mail: teaton{at}adhb.govt.nz

Keywords: Acute healthcare utilisation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, health-related quality of life, randomised controlled, short-burst oxygen therapy

Received: August 22, 2005
Accepted December 6, 2005

Short-burst oxygen therapy (SBOT) remains widely advocated for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), despite a lack of supporting evidence. The aim of this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study was to determine whether SBOT improves health-related quality of life (HRQL) or reduces acute healthcare utilisation in patients discharged following an acute exacerbation of COPD.

Consecutive patients were screened; 78 of 331 were eligible for randomisation to cylinder oxygen, cylinder air or usual care following discharge. Patients were elderly with high acute healthcare utilisation, forced expiratory volume in one second of <1 L and had dyspnoea limiting daily activity but were not hypoxaemic at rest. Over the 6-month study period, there were no significant differences between patient groups in HRQL (Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ), 36-item Short-Form Health Survey, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) except for CRQ emotion domain. There were no significant differences in acute healthcare utilisation. Time to readmission was greatest in the usual care group. Cylinder use was high initially, but rapidly fell to very low levels within weeks in both cylinder oxygen and air groups.

In conclusion, the availability of short-burst oxygen therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients discharged from hospital following an acute exacerbation did not improve health-related quality of life or reduce acute healthcare utilisation. These results provide no support for the widespread use of short-burst oxygen therapy.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. Albert and P. M. A. Calverley Drugs (including oxygen) in severe COPD Eur. Respir. J., May 1, 2008; 31(5): 1114 - 1124. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. J. Wilt, D. Niewoehner, R. MacDonald, and R. L. Kane Management of Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review for a Clinical Practice Guideline Ann Intern Med, November 6, 2007; 147(9): 639 - 653. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Why prescribe short-burst oxygen? DTB, September 1, 2007; 45(9): 70 - 72. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A Seamark, C. J Seamark, and D. M G Halpin Palliative care in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a review for clinicians J R Soc Med, May 1, 2007; 100(5): 225 - 233. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]