RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Lack of oximeters in primary care risks increasing the mortality from COPD
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 4872
VO 38
IS Suppl 55
A1 Anthony Davison
A1 Duncan Powrie
A1 Elizabeth Paddison
YR 2011
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/4872.abstract
AB The ERS and ATS (2005), GOLD (2010), NICE (2010) guidelines for COPD recommend long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) in hypoxic patients. LTOT improves the mortality of these patients. NICE recommends that patients with oxygen saturations which are ≤ 92% on breathing air should be assessed for LTOT. In order to do this these patients must be identified with pulse oximetry.Aims and methods: This study undertaken in 2010 examines the availability of pulse oximetry in GP surgeries and the views of GPs to pulse oximetry by post or questionnaire in all 67 practices who serve this hospital.Results: 60 practices (89.6%) responded to the questionnaire. Of these 40 (66%) had ≥ 1 pulse oximeters. 24 (40%) had only one oximeter, usually shared between doctors and nurses. 20 (33%) had no oximeter. 64 (23%) stated they would like an oximeter whilst 4 (6.6%) thought an oximeter was not necessary. The main reason given for not having an oximeter was financial.Conclusions: 33% of GP practices do not have a pulse oximeter. 40% have only one oximeter, which was usually shared between doctors and nurses. Lack of oximeters could lead to referral into secondary care just to have pulse oximetry measured. Lack of finance was the major reason given for not having an oximeter but oximeters are now cheap and one referral into secondary care is approximately equivalent to the cost of an oximeter. This study suggests that hypoxia patients with COPD will not be identified early and therefore not treated with LTOT. This will mean that their life expectancy will be reduced. The identification of hypoxia patients in primary care must be urgently addressed by increasing the number of oximeters.