RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Effects of supplemental oxygen vs. room air in COPD patients: A randomized placebo-controlled trial
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP OA4970
DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.OA4970
VO 46
IS suppl 59
A1 Inga Heinzelmann
A1 Rainer Gloeckl
A1 Merve Diril
A1 David Buhrow
A1 Andreas Jerrentrup
A1 Klaus Kenn
YR 2015
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/OA4970.abstract
AB Background: Supplemental oxygen (O2) improves exercise capacity, oxygenation and dyspnea in patients with hypoxemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Evidence regarding the effect of O2 in normoxemic COPD patients or comparing its effects in normoxemic and hypoxemic patients is still scarce.Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of O2 in patients with (LTOT) and without indication for long term oxygen therapy (nonLTOT).Methods: 124 COPD patients underwent two 6-minute walking tests (day 2+3) after a pretest (day 1). One test was performed using O2 and the other using compressed room air in randomized order and a single-blinded fashion.Results: O2 resulted in a significant increase in 6MWD (+26m, p<0.001), oxygen saturation (+6 percentage points, p<0.001) and a significant reduction in dyspnea (−1.0 pts., p<0.001). The best predictor of the individual response to O2 seems to be the individual level of exercise performance (6MWD) at baseline (r=-0.337, p<0.01).Comparing LTOT- and nonLTOT-patients, we found that LTOT-patients benefit more from O2 regarding the walking distance (+33m vs. +15m, p<0.05) and SpO2-level (+7.0 vs. +3.4 percentage points, p<0.001). NonLTOT-patients show a relevant benefit from O2 only when suffering from severe airflow obstruction (r=-0.257, p<0.05) or severe dyspnea (r=0.275, p<0.05).Discussion: O2 improves 6MWD, oxygenation and dyspnea in normoxemic and hypoxemic COPD-patients. However, these short-term effects were more pronounced in patients with indication for LTOT than in those without. NonLTOT-patients suffering from severe airflow obstruction or severe exercise-induced dyspnea seem to show a relevant benefit from O2.