Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of Breathing Oxygen-Enriched Air on Exercise Performance in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over Trial.
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience dyspnea and hypoxemia during exercise. ⋯ In COPD patients without resting hypoxemia, breathing oxygen-enriched air improves exercise performance. This relates to a higher arterial oxygen saturation promoting oxygen availability to muscle and cerebral tissue and an enhanced ventilatory efficiency. COPD patients may benefit from oxygen therapy during exercise training.