November 22, 2016 – O2 or No?

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Anchor lead: If you have moderate COPD, should you use oxygen? Elizabeth Tracey reports

Oxygen therapy didn’t help people with moderate COPD and low oxygen levels when they exercised stay out of the hospital or live longer, a Johns Hopkins study led by Robert Wise has shown.  Wise says one message is clear.

Wise: Oxygen can be expensive and a burden for some patients. In those patients I think with moderate oxygen desaturation they can feel comfortable dispensing with the oxygen, after they’ve discussed it with their physician. :15

Wise does say that for people with moderate COPD who want to try oxygen, there’s no reason not to based on this study.

Wise: If you feel it might benefit you it’s probably worth a trial, with your doctor’s prescription.  If there’s no benefit, there’s probably no reason to continue it with the expectation that it would change life expectancy or keep you out of the hospital.  :17

At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.