Abstract
Introduction: Time to desaturation (T90) on the 6 minute walking test (WT6m) on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients correlates with time of desaturation during 24 hours oximetry. But it is unknown the clinical evolution in time of these patients.
Objetive: To analise the gasometric parameters changes on copd patients with early desaturation on the WT6m 5 years later.
Material and Methods: We studied 83 patients with COPD and desaturation on WT6m under 1 minute. 73 men/10 women, average 66 years old, Fev1: 42% pred and PO2 66mmHg. We did spirometries, gasometries, WT6m every 6 months for 5 years. The patients who during the study needed domiciliary oxygen theraphy, were prescribed by their phYsicians who did not know the content of the study.
Results: 5 years later, 65% of patients with early desaturation- T90 under 1 minute- had chronic domiciliary oxygen therapy vs 11% of patients with desaturation after 1 minute (T90 > 1 min), p< 0.001.
Conclusions: Moderate-severe COPD patients desaturing before 1 min on the WT6m need oxygen therapy before 5 years opposed to patients with desaturation after 1 minute. Early desaturators need more clinical and gasometric controls.
- © 2011 ERS