%0 Journal Article %A Bunota Menezes %A Jose Sanchez-Martinez %A Lynn Fletcher %A Stephen William Crooks %T Use of pulse oximetry to select who should be screened for long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) in interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients %D 2014 %J European Respiratory Journal %P P3661 %V 44 %N Suppl 58 %X Introduction: Pulse oximetry is useful for screening candidates for LTOT. To date, studies are limited to patients with COPD but the relationship between SaO2 and PaO2 may differ in ILD as PaCO2 is often lower than in COPD. Also, LTOT is used in ILD when PaO2 falls below 8kPa, whereas in uncomplicated COPD a value of ≤ 7.3kPa is needed.Aims: To ascertain how to advise when to refer ILD patients for LTOT screening.Method: ILD patients were identified from our Home Oxygen Service records between 2006 - 2013, and their PaO2 and peripheral oxygen saturations (SpO2) at rest were correlated. The diagnosis of ILD was confirmed from a HRCT thorax and/or histology, and patients with concurrent COPD were excluded. All patients' SpO2 was measured after 10 minutes resting breathing room air, using the Konica Minolta Pulse Oximter 300 for all patients. Arterial blood gases obtained by arterial puncture were analysed with a GEM 4000 analyser with temperature correction.Results: 31 patients with ILD were identified. The SpO2 at rest ranged from 76% to 96% breathing room air. 14 of the 31 met the criterion for prescription of LTOT (PaO2 ≤ 8kPa). A SpO2 of ≤ 91% identified 13 of these 14 cases, giving a sensitivity of 93% for this cut-off identifying all patients with ILD requiring LTOT. One patient had a PaO2 of 7.7kPa despite a SpO2 of 94%. One patient with a SpO2 of 90% had a PaO2 above 8kPa.Conclusion: In these patients with ILD, a SpO2 of ≤ 91% identified nearly all those who needed LTOT, and we suggest that arterial blood gas analysis is only necessary if the Sp02 is less than 92%, or if considering ambulatory oxygen. %U