Acute oxygen therapy: a cross-sectional study of prescribing practices at an English hospital immediately before COVID-19 pandemic.
Expert Rev Respir Med
; 15(2): 277-284, 2021 02.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-780250
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Approximately 14% of UK hospital in-patients receive supplemental oxygen therapy, only 57% have valid prescriptions. Oxygen must be optimally prescribed to ensure maximal therapeutic response whilst minimizing adverse outcomes (including fatality). This study investigates prescription compliance.METHODS:
All adults admitted to medical wards (18 February to 3 March 2020) were included. Analyses present proportions, descriptive statistics, and hypothesis testing. Ethical approval was unnecessary for this audit.RESULTS:
Of the 636 patients admitted, 66 (10%) were receiving oxygen therapy. Ages ranged from 34 to 100 years with 36 (54.5%) males and 30 (45.5%) females. The prescription was not documented in the oxygen section of the drug chart (n = 37, 56.1%, p = 0.389), nor did it have the physicians signature (n = 40, 60.6%, p = 0.110) nor date (n = 46, 69.7%, p = 0.002). Thirteen chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients (19.7%) were at risk of hypercapnic failure (p = 1.582x10-6). Target oxygen saturation (SpO2) range had been documented for 30 (45.5%) patients. A target SpO2 range of 88-92% was documented for 9 patients (13.6%), a 94-98% range documented for 11 patients (16.7%). All patients had an invalid prescription.CONCLUSION:
We present real-world practice in naturalistic settings, immediately before pandemic-lockdown. Enhanced compliance is advocated to reduce risks of harm and mortality.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Oxygen Inhalation Therapy
/
Documentation
/
Clinical Audit
/
Hospitalization
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Expert Rev Respir Med
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
17476348.2021.1826316
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