TRAINING WITH SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN IN PATIENTS WITH COPD AND HYPOXEMIAAT PEAK EXERCISE

Supplemental oxygen has acute beneficial effects on exercise performan ce in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (GOPD). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether oxygen-supplemented t raining enhances the effects of training while breathing room air in p atients with severe COPD. A randomized controlled trial was performed in 24 patients with severe COPD who developed hypoxaemia during increm ental cycle exercise (arterial oxygen saturation (Sa,O-2 <90% at peak exercise), All patients participated in an in-patient pulmonary rehabi litation programme of 10 weeks duration. They were assigned either to general exercise training while breathing room air (GET/RA group: forc ed expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 38% of predicted; arterial o xygen tension (Pa,O-2 10.5 kPa at rest; Pa,O-2 7.3 kPa at peak exercis e), of to GET while breathing supplemental oxygen (GET/(2) group: FEV1 29% pred; Pa,P-2 10.2 kPa at rest; Pa,O-2 7.2 kPa at peak exercise), Sa,O-2 was not allowed to fall below 90% during the training, The effe cts on exercise performance while breathing air and oxygen, and on qua lity of life were compared. Maximum workload (W-max) significantly inc reased in the GET/RA group (mean (SD) 17 (15) W, p < 0.01), but not in the GET/O-2 group (7 (25) W). Six minute walking distance (6MWD), sta ir-climbing, weight-lifting exercise (all while breathing room air) an d quality of life significantly increased in both groups, Acute admini stration of oxygen improved exercise performance before and after trai ning, Training significantly increased T-Vmax, peak carbon dioxide pro duction (V'CO2 and 6MWD while breathing oxygen in both groups, Differe nces between groups were not significant. Pulmonary rehabilitation imp roved exercise performance and quality of life in both groups, Supplem entation of oxygen during the training did not add to the effects of t raining on room air.