Evaluation of Automatic Oxygen Flow Titration During Walking in Patients With COPD (FreeO2rehab)

Laval University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Endurance Shuttle Walking Test (Exercise at 85% of Maximal Shuttle Walking Test); COPD; Exercise

Treatments: Drug: Compressed air; Device: Automated oxygen titration; Drug: Oxygen constant flow

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02150434

FreeO2-Rehab-1

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the current study was to evaluate a new system (FreeO2) that automatically titrates oxygen flow to maintain stable SpO2, in patients with moderate or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during exercise. The investigators hypothesized that continuous automatic adjustment of the oxygen flows during exercise would better maintain patients within the oxygenation target, reduce episodes of desaturation and hyperoxia and would improve walking exercise tolerance in comparison with fixed levels of low-flow oxygen and with compressed air breathing.

Enrollment: 16 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 40+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients older than 40 years
• Moderate to severe COPD according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines
• Who did not require long-term oxygen therapy were included in the study.
• Patients were also selected on the basis of known (end-exercise SpO2 < 90% on a previous exercise test) or suspected (SpO2 < 95% at rest) desaturation during exercise

Exclusion criteria

• Episode of exacerbation or hospitalisation within last four weeks
• Current medical condition that could influence exercise tolerance

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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16 participants in 3 patient groups

Compressed Air

Sham Comparator group

Description:

compressed air delivered at a fixed flow of 2 L/min

Treatment:

Drug: Compressed air

Oxygen constant flow

Active Comparator group

Description:

oxygen delivered at a fixed flow of 2L/min

Treatment:

Drug: Oxygen constant flow

Automated oxygen titration

Experimental group

Description:

oxygen at a variable flows delivered by the FreeO2

Treatment:

Device: Automated oxygen titration