The European respiratory journal : official journal of the European Society for Clinical Respiratory Physiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Training with supplemental oxygen in patients with COPD and hypoxaemia at peak exercise.
Supplemental oxygen has acute beneficial effects on exercise performance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether oxygen-supplemented training enhances the effects of training while breathing room air in patients with severe COPD. A randomized controlled trial was performed in 24 patients with severe COPD who developed hypoxaemia during incremental cycle exercise (arterial oxygen saturation (Sa,O2) <90% at peak exercise). ⋯ Differences between groups were not significant. Pulmonary rehabilitation improved exercise performance and quality of life in both groups. Supplementation of oxygen during the training did not add to the effects of training on room air.