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Effect of long term oxygen treatment at home in children with pulmonary vascular disease
Insights
Long-term oxygen therapy improved survival in children with severe pulmonary vascular disease. While it increased pulmonary blood flow, it did not significantly alter pulmonary artery pressure.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Critical Care
Background:
- Pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) in children can be severe, limiting treatment options.
- Understanding the effects of oxygen therapy on PVD is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of long-term oxygen treatment on children with severe pulmonary vascular disease.
- To assess changes in pulmonary blood flow and pressure with oxygen inhalation.
Main Methods:
- Cardiac catheterization was used to measure pulmonary blood flow and artery pressure.
- A cohort of 15 children with severe PVD was divided into treated (long-term domiciliary oxygen) and untreated groups.
Main Results:
- Inhalation of 100% oxygen increased pulmonary blood flow in children with PVD.
- No significant change in pulmonary artery pressure was observed with oxygen inhalation.
- The long-term oxygen treatment group showed significantly better survival rates compared to the untreated group.
Conclusions:
- Long-term domiciliary oxygen therapy appears to improve survival in children with severe pulmonary vascular disease.
- Oxygen therapy can increase pulmonary blood flow without adversely affecting pulmonary artery pressure in this population.
Abstract:
Inhalation of 100% oxygen by nine children with pulmonary vascular disease increased pulmonary blood flow measured at cardiac catheterisation; there was no significant change in pulmonary artery pressure. Fifteen children with pulmonary vascular disease that was severe enough to preclude corrective cardiac operation were studied to determine the effect of long term oxygen treatment on pulmonary vascular disease. Nine received long term domiciliary oxygen for a minimum of twelve hours a day for up to five years. Though the untreated group closely resembled the treated group their survival was significantly less good. All nine treated children are alive whereas five of the six children who did not receive oxygen have died.