PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Enocson, Alexandra AU - Jordan, Rachel AU - Adab, Peymane AU - Dickens, Andy AU - Fitzmaurice, David TI - Prevalence and characteristics of low oxygen saturation (SpO2) in a primary care COPD cohort AID - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PA3937 DP - 2016 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - PA3937 VI - 48 IP - suppl 60 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA3937.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA3937.full SO - Eur Respir J2016 Sep 01; 48 AB - Introduction: Long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) reduces mortality and improves function in patients with COPD. Guidelines for prescribing oxygen therapy vary; however, all agree that (LTOT) should be considered in patients at risk of developing hypoxemia.Aims and objectives: To describe prevalence of low SpO2 at rest, post-exercise and self-reported LTOT use amongst primary care COPD patients.Methods: Baseline data for existing COPD patients (n=1558) from the Birmingham COPD Cohort study were used to describe clinical and demographic characteristics by SpO2 level. “Low SpO2” was defined as ≤92% at rest. We also reported the number of patients experiencing ≥4% SpO2 drop post-exercise, which was a one-minute sit-to-stand test.Results: 159 (11%) patients had ≤92% resting SpO2. Patients with low SpO2 were more likely to be ever-smokers (p<0.05) and obese (p<0.05) with worse dyspnoea (p<0.001) and lower exercise capacity (adjusted for age, sex, pack-years and GOLD stage; p 0.015). Hospitalisation and exacerbation rates did not differ by SpO2 level. Only 20 (13%) of those patients with low SpO2 at rest had self-reported LTOT.After exercise, 92 (8%) desaturated >4%, from their resting SpO2; the majority of whom, 64 (70%) had normal SpO2 at baseline.Conclusion: Within a primary care COPD population, patients with lower SpO2 were more likely to report worse breathlessness, lower exercise capacity, a history of smoking and be obese. Around 13% of patients in this cohort may benefit from LTOT use.