PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Stéphanie Saxer
AU  - Luigi-Riccardo Calendo
AU  - Mona Lichtblau
AU  - Julian Müller
AU  - Arcangelo Carta
AU  - Fiorenza Gautschi
AU  - Charlotte Berlier
AU  - Esther Schwarz
AU  - Konrad Bloch
AU  - Matthias Greutmann
AU  - Silvia Ulrich
TI  - Effect of short-term oxygen therapy on exercise performance in patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.PA1922
DP  - 2021 Sep 05
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - PA1922
VI  - 58
IP  - suppl 65
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA1922.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA1922.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2021 Sep 05; 58
AB  - Patients with unrepaired cyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD) suffer from aggravated hypoxemia during exercise. We investigated the effect of supplemental oxygen on exercise performance in patients with cyanotic CHD.In this randomized, sham-controlled, single-blind, cross-over trial cyanotic CHD-patients underwent four cycle exercise tests to exhaustion, while breathing either oxygen-enriched (FiO2 0.50, oxygen) or ambient air (FiO2 0.21, air) using incremental (IET) or constant work-rate (CWRET) protocols (75% Wmax under air). Pulmonary gas-exchange, electrocardiogram, arterial blood gases, cerebral and quadriceps muscle tissue oxygenation (CTO and MTO) by near-infrared spectroscopy were measured.Seven patients with cyanotic CHD (4 Eisenmenger syndrome, 3 unrepaired cyanotic defects, 4 women) were included (median(quartiles) age 36(32;50)years, BMI 23(20;26)kg/m2 and SpO2 at rest 87(83;89)%). When comparing supplemental oxygen with air during exercise, maximal work-rate in IET increased from 77(61;114)W to 83(67;136)W, median difference 9(0;22)W (p=0.046) and CWRET-time increased from 412s(325;490) to 468s(415;553), median increase 56(39;126)s (p=0.018). In both IET and CWRET, blood oxygenation was significantly higher and ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide significantly lower at end-exercise with oxygen compared to air, whereas CTO and MTO did not significantly differ.Patients with cyanotic CHD significantly improved their exercise performance, in terms of maximal work-rate and endurance time, along with an improved blood oxygenation and ventilatory efficacy with oxygen compared to air. They may benefit from oxygen during physical activity and exercise.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA1922.This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).