Survival and pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis who received home oxygen therapy

Abstract

We studied the relationship between survival and pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis. We also studied the effect of home oxygen therapy (HOT) on pulmonary hemodynamics in those patients. The subjects were 59 patients who were treated with HOT after right-heart catheterization. Blood gases and pulmonary hemodynamics were measured twice: while the patients breathed air and after they had inhaled pure oxygen. In 11 patients, right-heart catheterization done before and after HOT was begun. Before HOT was begun, 49 patients were given the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension, but the difference in survival between those who had and those who did not have pulmonary hypertension was not statistically significant. Mean pulmonary artery pressure fell by more than 5 mmHg after inhalation of pure oxygen in 5 patients (responders), but survival did not differ between responders and non-responders. Blood-gas volumes and pulmonary hemodynamics did not differ between those who died within 2 years after right-heart catheterization and those who lived for more than 5 years. Pulmonary arterial resistance and mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased significantly after HOT was begun. HOT can reduce mean pulmonary artery pressure in patients with sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis, but survival on HOT is not related to the presence of pulmonary hypertension or to the effect of pure oxygen on mean pulmonary artery pressure.