Ambulatory oxygen significantly improved health-related quality of life across all CRQ domains compared with cylinder air, although 41% of responders declined to continue therapy.
RCT (n=41)
Double-blind
crossover
It is unknown whether acute response to ambulatory oxygen (O2) predicts longer term improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQL) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The aims of this study were 1) to assess the short-term clinical impact, as determined by HRQL, of ambulatory O2 in a 12-week, double-blind, randomised crossover study of O2 (versus cylinder compressed air) of dyspnoeic but not chronically hypoxic COPD patients with exertional desaturation or = 54 m or decrease in post-Borg dyspnoea > or = 1) and 23 (56%) short-term responders (defined as clinically significant improvement in CRQ). However, acute and short-term responses were not correlated with no predictors of short-term response identified. At study completion, 14 (41%) of acute or short-term responders did not want to continue therapy, with 11 citing poor acceptability or tolerability. Short-term ambulatory oxygen is associated with significant improvements in health-related quality of life. These benefits cannot be predicted by baseline characteristics or acute response. Despite acute or short-term response, a substantial proportion of patients declined ambulatory oxygen.
Eaton et al. (Thu,) conducted a rct in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n=41). Ambulatory oxygen vs. Cylinder compressed air was evaluated on Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale and the short form (SF)-36. Ambulatory oxygen significantly improved health-related quality of life across all CRQ domains compared with cylinder air, although 41% of responders declined to continue therapy.