[Five years of home oxygen therapy in Poland]

Long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) is known since the second half of the present century. In Poland it was introduced in 1986. By the end of 1991, 37 regional LTOT centers, using almost 1000 oxygen concentrators as oxygen source, were organized all over the country. To LTOT are classified two groups of patients with the advanced chronic pulmonary disease complicated with fixed respiratory failure and frequently with cor pulmonale. One group consist of patients with severe hypoxemia (PaO2 < or = 7.3 kPa, i.e. < or = 55 mm Hg) accompanied by the signs of cor pulmonale or tissue hypoxia whereas another consists of patients with moderate hypoxemia (PaO2 7.4-7.8 kPa, i.e. 55-65 mm Hg). A 5-year history of the regional LTOT centres in Poland was assessed. According to questionnaires received from 27 centres, 971 patients (662 males and 309 females), aged 59.3 years on the average, were classified to the long-term oxygen therapy between August 1, 1986 and December 31, 1991. Six hundred fifty seven patients (67.6%) has COPD, 229 (23.6%) had non-COPD pulmonary disease, and 85 patients (8.8%)-other diseases. Six hundred forty four patients (66.3%) were given oxygen concentrators for severe hypoxemia and 327 patients (33.7%) for moderate hypoxemia wit co-existing signs of the cor pulmonale and tissue hypoxia. Mean time of oxygen use in 839 patients was 13.8 hours a day. Long-term oxygen therapy was ceased in 31 patients (3.2%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)