Performance comparison of 4 portable oxygen concentrators.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Respiratory Care

Background:

• Portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) are increasingly available in the US.
• Design trade-offs in POCs lead to performance variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the performance of four leading POC models.
• To assess oxygen delivery across different respiratory rates.

Main Methods:

• Tested four POC models (Invacare XPO(2), Respironics EverGo, AirSep FreeStyle, Inogen One).
• Measured oxygen volume per pulse, pulse duration, trigger sensitivity, oxygen concentration, and relative fraction of inspired oxygen (relative F(IO(2))).
• Evaluated performance at respiratory rates of 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 breaths/min with a tidal volume of 500 mL.

Main Results:

• Significant differences observed in pulse flow, pulse volume, and pulse delivery time among POC models.
• Oxygen purity ranged from 91.9-94.4%.
• Relative F(IO(2)) decreased as respiratory rate increased for all tested POCs.

Conclusions:

• The four evaluated POC models exhibit distinct performance characteristics.
• Clinicians must tailor POC settings to individual patient requirements for both rest and activity.