Automatic Oxygen Titration Versus Constant Oxygen Flow Rates During Exercise Training in Hypoxemic People With Chronic Lung Disease - a Randomized, Double-blind, Controlled Cross-over Pilot Study

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the effects of automatic oxygen titration compared to prescribed constant oxygen flow rates on the perception of breathlessness during exercise in people with chronic lung disease and hypoxaemia. Hypoxaemia, a condition marked by low oxygen levels in the blood, often limits exercise tolerance in these patients. The study is designed as a randomized, double-blind, controlled cross-over trial to better understand whether adjusting oxygen flow automatically during exercise can improve symptoms and endurance. Participants will undergo an initial test to determine their peak work rate on a cycle. They will then complete two sets of five endurance exercise training sessions each. In one set, supplemental oxygen will be delivered at a constant flow rate as prescribed for the individual. In the other, oxygen flow will be automatically adjusted to maintain oxygen saturation between 90-94%. The order of these two training sets will be randomized to compare the effects of both oxygen delivery methods. During the study, participants' breathlessness will be measured throughout the training sessions, along with oxygen saturation, carbon dioxide levels, heart rate, and leg fatigue. The study will also assess participants' experiences with the oxygen delivery systems. These evaluations will take place during both five-session training periods, allowing researchers to compare the outcomes of automatic versus constant oxygen flow. The total study period includes these exercise training sessions and monitoring of physiological and subjective responses.

Effects of an Automatic Oxygen Titration System in People With Hypoxemia During Exercise Training