Effect of low-flow oxygen therapy on 6 minute walk test in pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: a randomized non-inferiority crossover trial.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Patients with pulmonary arterial and distal chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (PAH/CTEPH) frequently experience exertional dyspnoea with desaturation. Although ambulatory low-flow supplemental oxygen therapy (SOT) is commonly prescribed, its effect via portable concentrators in daily life has not been studied. We investigated the effect of ambulatory SOT on six-minute walk distance (6MWD).

Methods and results

This was a randomized non-inferiority crossover study in patients with PAH or CTEPH desaturating by >3% during exercise. Patients performed two 6MWD tests in randomized order: one in ambient air and one with pulsed low-flow (1-2 L/min) nasal supplemental oxygen (SOT) by a portable back-packed concentrator. The primary outcome was 6MWD with a predefined

SUBMITTER: Wick C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC13537019 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature