Heliox in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine if breathing helium oxygen mixtures in addition to conventional therapy in non-intubated adult chronic obstructive airways disease (COPD) patients reduces the arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (Paco(2)) more than conventional treatment alone, and confers an advantage in terms of the odds of intubation in the acute setting.

Design

Meta-analysis.

Setting

Diverse settings.

Participants

Adult patients with a diagnosis of either stable severe or acute COPD.

Main outcome measures

Decrease in partial pressure of arterial Paco(2) and intubation rates.

Results

Combination of the results from trials measuring change in Paco(2) in COPD subjects receiving conventional therapy but breathing helium-oxygen estimated a reduction o

SUBMITTER: Andrews R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1726468 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature