We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Long-Term Oxygen Therapy: Current Evidence and Practical, Day-to-Day Considerations.
- Authors
Koczulla, Andreas Rembert; Schneeberger, Tessa; Jarosch, Inga; Kenn, Klaus; Gloeckl, Rainer
- Abstract
Background: Long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) is an established treatment for patients with chronic hypoxemia. Its scientific basis is derived mainly from two trials from the early 1980s that showed a survival advantage for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treated with LTOT Robust data are not available for other diseases associated with hypoxemia. Methods: This review is based on pertinent publications retrieved by a selective search in PubMed. Results: The use of LTOT for 15 to 16 hours per day (or, better, 24 hours per day) is recommended in current guidelines for patients with chronic hypoxemia (PaO2 ≤ 55 mm Hg) because this treatment was found to be associated with a lower mortality rate compared to no LTOT (33% vs. 55%, p <0.05) based on data from the early 1980s. In the short term, oxygen administration to a hypoxemic patient can i mprove oxygen saturation by nine percentage points and improve physical performance to a clinically relevant extent (6-minute walking test: + 37 m, p <0.001). The available data do not support the use of LTOT for normoxemic patients. LTOT should only be administered for strict indications, in accordance with the guidelines, and only in a form suitable for the individual patient. Skin burns can occur as a side effect of LTOT because of contact explosions with any type of fire. Conclusion: The acquisition of further robust data would be desirable, particularly with respect to patient-relevant outcome parameters including quality of life, performance status, and mortality. Moreover, the German guidelines on oxygen therapy need to be updated.
- Subjects
LITERATURE reviews; GUIDELINES; OXYGEN therapy; HYPOXEMIA; OBSTRUCTIVE lung diseases
- Publication
Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 2018, Vol 115, Issue 51/52, p871
- ISSN
1866-0452
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3238/arztebl.2018.0871