Oxygen therapy for exercise capacity in fibrotic interstitial lung disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

• Published in: Respiratory medicine 2024-06, Vol.227, p.107657, Article 107657
• Main Authors: Lin, Lee-Yuan, Wu, Yu-Chih, Wu, Jie-Syuan, Tai, Hsiu-Yu, Huang, Tsai-Wei, Cheng, Wun-Hao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Dyspnea - etiology; Dyspnea - therapy; Dyspnoea; Exercise; Exercise Tolerance - physiology; Fatigue; Fatigue - etiology; Fatigue - therapy; Female; Fibrotic interstitial lung disease; Heart Rate - physiology; Humans; Lung Diseases, Interstitial - physiopathology; Lung Diseases, Interstitial - therapy; Male; Meta-analysis; Middle Aged; Oxygen Inhalation Therapy - methods; Oxygen Saturation; Oxygen therapy; Quality of Life; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0954-6111; 1532-3064; 1532-3064
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107657

Fibrotic interstitial lung disease (fILD) is characterised primarily by impaired lung function and quality of life. The present study investigated whether oxygen therapy could improve exercise capacity among patients with fILD. Previously published randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were surveyed. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of oxygen therapy in improving the exertional capacity of patients with fILD. The primary outcome was peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) during exercise. The effects of oxygen therapy on fatigue, dyspnoea, heart rate, and exercise duration or distance were also analysed. Fourteen RCTs involving 370 patients were included. Oxygen therapy improved SpO2 during exercise (mean difference, MD = 6.26 %), exercise duration (MD = 122.15 s), fatigue (standard mean difference, SMD = −0.30), and dyspnoea (MD = −0.75 Borg score units). High-flow oxygen systems tended to be more effective than low-flow systems in improving exercising SpO2, duration, fatigue, dyspnoea, and heart rate. High-flow nasal cannulas (HFNCs) yielded better outcomes regarding SpO2 and fatigue than did high-flow Venturi masks (MD = 1.60 % and MD = −1.19 Borg score units, respectively). No major adverse events were reported. The evidence from RCTs supports the short-term use of oxygen supplementation to improve SpO2, exercise capacity, fatigue, and dyspnoea among patients with fILD. Further analyses demonstrates that HFNCs yield more favourable outcomes, yet not reaching statistical significance except for improving SpO2 and fatigue. However, the long-term effects of oxygen therapy on quality of life and mortality remain unclear. •Oxygen therapy increases exercise duration in patients with fILD.•Oxygen therapy reduces fatigue and dyspnea during exercise in patients with fILD.•HFNC is more effective than Venturi mask in improving SpO2 and fatigue during exercise in fILD patients.