Context

Although supplemental oxygen (SupplO₂) has been shown to prolong survival in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with severe hypoxaemia (ie, PaO₂<55 mm Hg or PaO₂ 55–59 mm Hg with cor pulmonale or polycythaemia), benefits in non-hypoxaemic COPD patients are less clear. Prescribing SupplO₂ for such patients is highly variable, and it is common and very costly. As such, there is a strong rationale to clarify the indications.1 This meta-analysis evaluates the evidence regarding the benefits of SupplO₂ to relieve dyspnoea and enhance exercise performance and quality of life (QOL) in COPD patients whose baseline resting oxygenation is not substantially impaired.