Profile of patients attending the oxygen therapy service at the medical school in Botucatu - Unesp

Abstract

This work was held from January 1997 to January 1999 with 66 patients registered in the Oxygen Therapy Service at the Medical School in Botucatu (FMB) – UNESP. The aim of this study was to evaluate the patients’ health and overall characteristics as well as the oxygen delivery and use conditions. The average age was 61.2 ± 10.1 years, 61% men, with poor education level, low income and social conditions. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was the major pathology found, corresponding to 78.2% diagnoses. According to the arterial blood gasometry results (PaO2 = 46.14 ± 9.07 mmHg, PaCO2 = 45.80 ± 7.99 mmHg and SaO2 = 79.25 ± 11.44%), all patients have met the indication and utilization criteria for long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) in agreement with the national and international consensus committee. Patients were delivered oxygen by means of a gas cylinder and by nasal cannula . The municipal public services were in charge of the oxygen delivery for 80.5% patients. The oxygen flow was used following recommendations, although the number of hours was less than the prescribed one; only 8.4% patients used LTOT more than 12 hours a day. Based on this study some arrangements regarding these patients’ care have been carried out, such as the replacement of the gas cylinder by the oxygen concentrator, leading to an improved care quality. The oxygen therapy service from the Medical School became a reference symbol for the Health Secretary in Botucatu as well as for LTOT prescription and patients’ follow-up. CONCLUSION : The majority of the patients who have undertaken long term oxygen therapy are of the male sex, COPD carriers and have not followed the treatment as they have been prescribed.