There were no differences in quality of life, symptoms, hospital admissions or mortality between a group of patients with pulmonary disease and low oxygen levels in the blood that received oxygen therapy at home for 24 hours a day, and a group that received the same therapy for 15 hours a day, according to a study from Lund University in Sweden.
Lund UniversitySep 12 2024
Every year, there are about a million patients in the US alone with severe sub-optimal oxygen levels who begin oxygen therapy at home. The patient must wear a nasal oxygen mask 24 hours a day, which is often felt to be restrictive and burdensome. In addition, the gas is cold and dry, which may cause problems such as dryness, ulcers and inflammation of the airways. Using the equipment may also be perceived as stigmatizing by patients.
In a randomized, controlled large multicentre study, the researchers have now examined the effect of different durations of oxygen therapy on important health outcomes. A total of 241 patients with chronic and severely low oxygen levels in the blood from 20 different clinics in Sweden were randomly allocated to receive oxygen therapy for either 24 hours a day or 15 hours a day . The patients were followed for one year and all those who took part completed the study.
"The older studies were small and only included patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, not least because it is difficult to recruit such seriously ill individuals for a randomized study. Also, the patients included in the older studies differ from those who start oxygen therapy at home nowadays.
Oxygen Therapy Blood Chronic Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Hospital Medicine Mortality Respiratory
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