Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy of long-term treatment with supplemental oxygen in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and resting or exercise-induced moderate desaturation.

Background

COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, with more than twelve million people currently diagnosed with the disease. In 2011, Medicare reimbursements for oxygen-related costs for patients with COPD exceeded two billion dollars. The quality of life of a person with COPD decreases as the disease progresses, making treating and managing COPD in the moderate stages important. The benefits of oxygen supplementation were studied in the 1970s, but these benefits were specific to COPD patients with severe resting hypoxemia. The LOTT trial was designed to address the effectiveness of supplemental oxygen therapy in treating people with COPD who have moderately low blood oxygen levels at rest or who have normal blood oxygen levels at rest, but have low or very low blood oxygen levels during exercise.

Participants

There were a total of 1759 patients screened for eligibility for the LOTT trial. Patients were selected based on the following criteria: at least 40 years of age, stable COPD, dyspnea, and moderate resting desaturation (SpO2, 89 to 93%) or moderate exercise-induced desaturation (during the 6-minute walk test, SpO2 <80% for at least one minute).

A total of 738 patients were selected for randomization with 368 patients randomly assigned to the supplemental-oxygen group and 370 to the no-supplemental-oxygen group. Of the 738 patients who underwent randomization, 133 (18%) had resting desaturation only, 319 (43%) had exercise-induced desaturation only, and 286 (39%) had both types of desaturation. Furthermore, in the supplemental-oxygen group, 220 patients were prescribed 24-hour oxygen and 148 were prescribed oxygen during exercise and sleep only.

Design

The LOTT trial was originally designed to test whether the use of supplemental oxygen would result in a longer time to death for patients with COPD and moderate resting desaturation. After seven months, the trial design was judged to be infeasible; therefore, the trial was redesigned to include patients with exercise-induced desaturation with a primary composite outcome of death or first hospitalization for any cause, whichever occurs first. Other outcomes measured included: death, health care utilization, COPD exacerbation, quality of life measurements, anxiety, depression, and measures of functional status.

Potential participants were screened using questionnaires, a breathing test, a brief physical exam, a blood draw, and measurements of resting and walking blood oxygen levels. Based on those results, eligible participants returned for a second screening visit for further evaluations. At the end of the second visit, eligible participants were assigned randomly to supplemental oxygen therapy or no oxygen therapy.

Participants assigned to supplemental oxygen therapy received stationary and/or portable oxygen systems. Participants were required to return for a one hour visit to determine how much oxygen to use while walking and to learn how to use the equipment. Participants who had low blood oxygen levels during rest were instructed to use supplemental oxygen 24 hours per day. Patients with normal resting blood oxygen levels, but low or very low blood oxygen levels during exercise were instructed to use it during physical activity and sleep. Throughout the treatment period, participants were asked to keep records of the number of oxygen tanks emptied or pounds of oxygen delivered, meter readings, and changes in equipment. Study officials contacted participants weekly for the first month, monthly for the next five months, and then every two months until the Year 1 study visit. Participants assigned to receive no oxygen treatment were contacted one week after assignment for a check-up.

All participants returned for study visits once a year for up to seven years. At each of these visits, participants completed some of the same tests and questionnaires from the screening visit. Participants underwent a blood draw during the one year study visit. Participants in both treatment groups received two phone calls each year to check on status and use of oxygen. In addition, participants in both groups were asked to complete a quality of life questionnaire by mail at four months and sixteen months. Medicare claims were collected for the duration of each participant’s enrollment in the study.

Conclusions

In patients with stable COPD and resting or exercise-induced moderate desaturation, the prescription of long-term supplemental oxygen did not result in a longer time to death or first hospitalization than no long-term supplemental oxygen, nor did it provide sustained benefit with regard to any of the other measured outcomes.

Long-Term Oxygen Treatment Trial Research Group, Albert RK, Au DH, Blackford AL, Casaburi R, Cooper JA Jr, Criner GJ, Diaz P, Fuhlbrigge AL, Gay SE, Kanner RE, MacIntyre N, Martinez FJ, Panos RJ, Piantadosi S, Sciurba F, Shade D, Stibolt T, Stoller JK, Wise R, Yusen RD, Tonascia J, Sternberg AL, Bailey W. A Randomized Trial of Long-Term Oxygen for COPD with Moderate Desaturation. N Engl J Med. 2016 Oct 27;375(17):1617-1627.

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