EDITORIAL

Oxygen in COPD

Short burst oxygen therapy for relief of breathlessness in COPD

C M Roberts

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr C M Roberts
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Whipps Cross University Hospital, London E11 1NR; Michael.Roberts@whippsc.nhs.uk

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More evidence against the effect of short burst oxygen therapy, but doubts remain

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Keywords: oxygen; breathlessness; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; exercise; dynamic hyperinflation

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

In this issue of Thorax Stevenson and Calverley¹ provide more evidence for a lack of effect of short burst oxygen therapy in the relief of dyspnoea following exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study follows other recent publications that appear to draw the same conclusion. Despite this mounting evidence, oxygen cylinders for "as needed" use are still frequently prescribed at great cost.^2,3 Oxygen used in this way is often perceived as life saving by patients, but can this continuing practice of short burst oxygen use for COPD patients be justified in the light of the emerging evidence?

Oxygen therapy for the management of chronic COPD comes in various forms. Long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) prescribing has an accepted evidence base and any patient considered for short burst treatment should first have undergone an assessment for LTOT. Ambulatory oxygen has been shown to have . . . [Full text of this article]

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Quantrill, S J, White, R, Crawford, A, Barry, J S, Batra, S, Whyte, P, Roberts, C M (2007). Short burst oxygen therapy after activities of daily living in the home in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Thorax 62: 702-705 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Rochester, C. L. (2005). Clinical Year in Review IV: Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Exercise and Rehabilitation, and Critical Care Medicine. Proc Am Thorac Soc 2: 461-465 [Full Text]  
• Williams, A J, Calverley, P M A (2005). Effect of oxygen on recovery from maximal exercise in COPD * Authors' reply. Thorax 60: 257-258 [Full Text]