HOME OXYGEN-THERAPY IN CHILDREN WITH CHRO NIC RESPIRATORY-FAILURE

Background: Home oxygen therapy improves survival and quality, of life ill adults with chronic obstructive airways disease. The few studies about hone oxygen therapy ill children show improvements in weight gai n, school performance and decreases in hospitalisation expenses. Aim: To report our experience ill hone oxygen therapy in children followed Sor six months to four years. Patients and methods: Fifty five childre n, less than 15 years old, discharged, on a University hospital with t he diagnosis of chronic respiratory failure. were followed up at their -homes. Results: Discharge diagnoses were bronchopulmonary dysplasia i ll 36% of children, postinfectious pulmonary damage ill 22% neonatal d istress ill 13%, chronic aspiration ill 9%, cystic fibrosis ill 7% and miscellaneous ill 13%. Forty sir completed at least 6 months of follo w up, five moved to other hospitals, three required ventilatory suppor t and one died. Oxygen was discontinued in 33 patients, and this occur red before the ninth month of follow up ill 88% Of those children. Neo natal distress and bronchopulmonary dysplasia had the best prognoses, ard oxygen was discontinued at 4 +/- I and 5.7 +/- 3 months respective ly. Patients with postinfectious pulmonary disease had a higher incide nce of bronchoneumoniae, ald those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia a h igher incidence of acute bronchiolitis: that motivated hospital admiss ions. Expenses dire to home oxygen were lower than hospitalization cos ts. No adverse effects tael-e detected. Conclusions: Infants and newbo rns on bone oxygen therapy have a good prognosis, specially those with reversible diseases. This type of therapy, allows all earlier hospita l discharge with considerable cost reductions.