Evaluation of domiciliary long-term oxygen therapy with oxygen concentrators.
Domiciliary long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) is usually supplied by means of oxygen concentrators (OCs). Various factors that determine the efficacy of such a treatment were evaluated. Sixty-three patients, arbitrarily selected from lists of health care providers, were visited at home by a biomedical engineer and a pulmonary function technician. The evaluation consisted of: i) responses to a directed questionnaire, ii) assessment of the OC output characteristics, and iii) measurement of the patient's oxygen saturation (SaO2) at rest with and without oxygen supplement. Only 33% of patients received oxygen treatment for the recommended 12-24 hours/day and 5% of patients waited the recommended 10 minutes of OC warm-up before connection. Filters were cleaned weekly by only 30% of patients and the concentrator was serviced 3-4 times a year in 25% of cases. The OC was thought to be unduly noisy by 24% of patients and connecting tubing of less than 6 meters was fitted to 90% of OCs, thereby limiting patient mobility. Most of the OCs did not yield the recommended oxygen concentration and the flow rate meters on them tended to underread. Therefore, only 22% of patients received the prescribed oxygen supplement. Whilst breathing room air, a substantial proportion of patients had an SaO2 >90%. Improvements are clearly required in terms of medical indications for LTOT, patient education and supervision, supply and maintenance of concentrators and related equipment.
Shiner
R J
RJ
Department of Clinical Respiratory Physiology, H. Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
Zaretsky
U
U
Mirali
M
M
Benzaray
S
S
Elad
D
D
D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000628:therapy*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D010100:Oxygen