Does supplemental oxygen help COPD patients who have chronic stable moderate hypoxia?

Key Points

• Long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) is beneficial in patients with COPD and severe resting hypoxemia (arterial oxygen partial pressure ≤ 55 mm Hg or SpO₂ ≤ 88%) and should be prescribed to improve survival in this population.
• Patients with COPD and mild to moderate resting hypoxemia or exercised-induced hypoxemia should not be routinely prescribed LTOT given the associated costs, risks, and burdens and the lack of evidence of benefit.