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Patterns of domestic activity and ambulatory oxygen usage in COPD.
Chest. 2008 Jul 14;
Authors: Sandland CJ, Morgan MD, Singh SJ
Background The aim of this study was to examine patterns of domestic activity and ambulatory oxygen usage in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in their domestic environment. Methods 20 patients (14 male), mean (SD), age 73.4 (6.8) yrs, FEV(1) 1.0 (0.5) l with stable COPD were recruited after completing a 7-week pulmonary rehabilitation programme. Patients were either hypoxic at rest or de-saturated on exercise. Patients were randomised to an 8-week, double blind, placebo controlled trial of cylinder oxygen versus cylinder air. Total domestic physical activity and health-related quality of life measures were recorded pre and post intervention. Results There were no significant changes in domestic activity or HRQL measures after the intervention for either cylinder oxygen or cylinder air except for a worsening of the CRQ dyspnoea domain on cylinder air. There was a significant increase in mean duration (min per day) of cylinder use (p<0.05) between weeks 1 vs. 7 and 1 vs. 8 for the oxygen group. However when comparing the two groups together there was no between group differences in cylinder use or time spent outside the home. Over the 8 weeks the majority of patients were using the cylinders in the home rather than outside, however the number of times patients reported using the cylinders outside the home increased over the 8 weeks for the oxygen group. Conclusion In the short term, ambulatory oxygen therapy is not associated with improvements in physical activity, HRQL or time spent away from home. However the use of cylinder oxygen increased over the 8 weeks compared to cylinder air. Patients need time to learn how to use oxygen and ambulatory oxygen appears to enhance activities rather than increase them.
PMID: 18625674 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]