title: Adequacy of oxygenation in a group of Danish patients with COPD on long-term oxygen therapy.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the adequacy of oxygenation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) in Copenhagen county. Twenty-six patients were enrolled and assessed prospectively by 24-h pulse oximetry. Patients comprised seven males and 19 females with a mean age of 69 +/- 5 yrs, arterial oxygen tension of 6.5 +/- 0.6 kPa, forced vital capacity of 1.47 L, forced expiratory volume in one second of 0.5 +/- 0.2 L (22 +/- 9% of predicted) and St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire total score of 61 +/- 14. The mean 24-h arterial oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry (Sp,O2) was within normal limits (94 +/- 1%), but mild hypoxaemia with a mean Sp,O2 of 89 +/- 4% and a total of 12 +/- 15 desaturation episodes per patient were observed, mostly during daily activities. Multiple regression analysis revealed no significant predictors for patient oxygenation. In summary, 24-h pulse oximetry showed adequate oxygenation in this group of COPD patients on LTOT, though mild hypoxaemia was present during some daily activities.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Pulmonology Y, Gentofte University Hospital, Hellerup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abdulla
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Godtfredsen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pisinger
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wennike
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tønnesen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010092:Oximetry; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors