Twenty-four-hour ambulatory oximetry monitoring in a patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis for assisting in the discharge instruction on activities of daily living: a case report.
Kiyokazu Sekikawa, Fumiya Aizawa, Noriko Sekikawa and 6 others
PMID 33281294WHAT IT FOUND
One patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis desaturated during bathing without feeling short of breath.
Specific movement and breathing instructions reduced the time his oxygen saturation stayed below 90% from 14.3% to 7.7%.
Key findings
01The patient experienced significant oxygen desaturation during bathing activities but did not report feeling short of breath at the time.
02Following targeted instructions on movement and breathing, the proportion of time his oxygen saturation was below 90% during bathing dropped from 14.3% to 7.7%.
03Physical therapists instructed the patient to stay seated, control breathing, rest between movements, and use aids to minimize oxygen cannula disconnection.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
This is a single case report, so the findings cannot be generalized to all patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The comparison was between a hospital setting and a home setting, so changes in environment or activity level could have influenced the oxygen saturation results. The study did not include a control group or standardize the duration of bathing activities between the two measurements.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest and state that there was no funding provided for this study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a lack of reported breathlessness means oxygen saturation is safe. This patient’s oxygen dropped significantly during bathing without him feeling short of breath, highlighting the need for objective monitoring.