Palliative Medicine in Practice · Published 2026-01-30 · DOI 10.5603/pmp.112386
BACKGROUND: Long-term oxygen therapy has not provided the expected survival benefits seen in randomized trials, nor the symptomatic benefits seen in meta-analyses. When long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) is prescribed for people with symptomatic breathlessness, how do patients use it? The aim of this sub-study of a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to describe self-reported patterns of LTOT use in people with severe/very severe breathlessness and optimally treated COPD, and compliance with physician-directed advice. METHODS: Participants in this cohort were asked: (a) whether they were prescribed LTOT and, if so, (b) what their oxygen use patterns were, and (c) whether this was the way in which the therapy was prescribed. RESULTS: Of 156 people randomized, 67 (43.2%) had LTOT available to them, of whom 17/67 (25.4%) had oxygen saturation < 90% at rest on room air. Oxygen was used continuously (35/67; 52.2%); only on exertion (13/67; 19.4%); only when needed (17/67; 25.4%); or rarely (2/67; 3%). Lower oxygen saturation was associated with a greater likelihood of continuous use. Almost all participants (63/67; 94%) indicated that the way they used LTOT was as directed by their prescribing physician. CONCLUSIONS: The use of oxygen varied widely. Research is needed to understand what prescribers said when LTOT was provided. A more detailed understanding of how LTOT is used, including why oxygen was commenced and ceased during episodic use, is needed.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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