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The following is a summary of “Supplemental oxygen therapy use among patients with fibrosing interstitial lung disease in the United States,” published in the February 2025 issue of the Respiratory Research by Yang et al.

Supplemental oxygen therapy is a widely utilized intervention in the management of fibrosing interstitial lung disease (ILD), aiming to alleviate dyspnea and enhance physical capacity in affected individuals. Despite its clinical relevance, limited research has examined the incidence of oxygen therapy use, particularly across different ILD subtypes, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and non-IPF ILD. This study sought to estimate the incidence of oxygen therapy initiation and identify factors influencing its use in patients with fibrosing ILD. A retrospective, non-interventional analysis was conducted using U.S. administrative claims and electronic health records spanning October 1, 2015, to June 30, 2022. Patients aged 18 years or older with newly diagnosed fibrosing ILD—defined as at least two separate ILD diagnoses within 365 days—were included. 

The index date was established as the first recorded ILD diagnosis, and patients were followed until health plan disenrollment, death, or study period conclusion. The analysis excluded individuals with prior evidence of oxygen therapy to assess true incidence rates post-diagnosis. Oxygen therapy use was examined across ILD subtypes, with stratification between IPF and non-IPF ILD cases. Cox proportional hazards regression was employed to identify factors associated with oxygen therapy initiation. A total of 114,921 patients (5,555 with IPF and 109,366 with non-IPF ILD) met the study criteria. The mean age of the cohort was 66.9 years (SD: 14.2), and 47.2% were male. 

Over a mean follow-up period of 24 months, 38% of patients with fibrosing ILD initiated oxygen therapy, with significantly higher initiation rates in patients with IPF (68%) compared to those with non-IPF ILD (36%). Multivariable analysis revealed that IPF diagnosis, higher Charlson comorbidity scores, and respiratory-related comorbidities were key predictors of oxygen therapy initiation, highlighting the impact of disease severity and overall health status on therapeutic needs. These findings underscore the substantial reliance on oxygen therapy in fibrosing ILD management, particularly among patients with IPF, who exhibit a markedly higher likelihood of requiring oxygen supplementation. The study also reinforces the influence of comorbid conditions on oxygen therapy initiation, suggesting a need for proactive monitoring and early intervention strategies. 

Given the high incidence of oxygen therapy use, future research should explore optimization strategies for oxygen supplementation to improve patient outcomes and quality of life in fibrosing ILD populations.

Source: respiratory-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12931-025-03139-3