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Are patients on long‐term oxygen therapy followed up properly? Data from the Danish Oxygen Register
Author(s) -
Ringbaek T. J.,
Lange P.,
Viskum K.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.625
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1365-2796
pISSN - 0954-6820
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2796.2001.00865.x
Subject(s) - medicine , danish , oxygen therapy , copd , odds ratio , emergency medicine , pediatrics , physical therapy , philosophy , linguistics
. Ringbaek TJ, Lange P, Viskum K (University Hospital of Copenhagen, Hvidovre Hospital; and Gentofte Hospital; Copenhagen, Denmark). Are patients on long‐term oxygen therapy followed up properly? Data from the Danish Oxygen Register. J Intern Med 2001; 250: 131–136. Objectives. The aim of the study was to assess the extent and quality of follow‐up of patients on LTOT. Setting. The Danish Oxygen Register. Subjects. A total of 890 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who were on long‐term oxygen therapy (LTOT) during the period from 1 November 1994 to 31 August 1995. Main outcome measures. The extent and quality of follow‐up. Results. Only 38.5% of the patients were followed up in the study period, and only 17.5% had a ‘sufficient follow‐up’ defined as at least one follow‐up visit within 10 months which included measurement of arterial blood gases or pulsoximetry with oxygen supply, verification that the patient used oxygen ≥15 h day –1 and was nonsmoker. Female gender, LTOT initiated 3–12 months ago, LTOT started by a chest physician at pulmonary department and LTOT prescribed ≥15 h day –1 were found to be significant predictors of ‘sufficient follow‐up’ (odds ratio (OR): 1.7, 2.0, 3.7 and 1.9, respectively). Conclusions. The extent and the quality of follow‐up of patients on LTOT were poor, especially if a nonpulmonary physician initiated LTOT. We recommend that more attention should be paid on proper monitoring of LTOT, and that only chest physicians should be able to prescribe and re‐evaluate LTOT.