Abstract
Nocturnal sleep oxygen saturation were measured by portable pulse oximeter in 36 home oxygen therapy (HOT) patients. Although the daytime PaCO2 in 26 HOT patients without bilevel PAP (BiP AP) significantly differed from that in 10 HOT patients with BiPAP, the average oxygen satu-ration and the oxygen desaturation index did not differ between these groups. Oxygen saturation level lower than 90% was recognized in 12 HOT patients without BiPAP and in 5 HOT patients with BiPAP. As nocturnal desaturation is probable in HOT patients without aggravation of the disease or daytime desaturation, periodic nocturnal-sleep oxygen saturation monitoring is important.
