The use of long term home oxygen therapy reduces hospitalizations and mortality in COPD patients

Background Long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) has been shown to increase survival of COPD patients with chronic respiratory failure. Aim To study the effect of LTOT on mortality and hospitalizations in patients receiving treatment versus patients who fulfill the criteria for supplementation but have no access. Methods COPD patients with indications for LTOT (GOLD, 2013) have been added to a local registry for two years. Patients were divided into two cohorts – cohort A with patients on LTOT and cohort B with patients without access to domiciliary oxygen. Results Information about 96 patients was gathered. Mean age was 64 ± 12. Men were 77 (80.2%). All patients were with severe or very severe COPD – mean FEV1 was 34 ± 13. From all patients 24 (25.0%) used domiciliary oxygen (cohort A). Their mean age was 63 ± 12, males were 19 (79.2%) and mean FEV1 was 34 ± 18. The patients in cohort B had mean age 65 ± 12, males were 58 (80.6%) and the mean FEV1 was 33 ± 12.For the period of the survey 49.0% of patients from the whole population died. Mortality in cohort A was 29.2% versus 55.6% in cohort B (p 0.05). Mean fibrinogen level in cohort B was 5.16 vs 5.08 in cohort A (p>0.05). Mean CRP level was – 69.7 in cohort B vs 51.9 in cohort A (p>0.05). Conclusion Patients without access to domiciliary oxygen showed higher rate of hospitalizations, mortality and higer fibrinogen and CRP levels. Mortality was associated with older age and airway limitation. It is important to make LTOT accessible to all COPD patients who fulfill the criteria for that.