Fujita M1, Sawada T1, Oki Y1, Fujimoto Y1, Mitani Y1, Yamaguchi T1, Yamada K1, Yamamoto A1, Ishikawa A1
1Kobe University Graduate School, Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan
Background: Patients with chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) are limited in activity daily living (ADL) due to pulmonary impairment. The bathing is one of the most loaded activities in ADL. It is estimated that patients with CRD experienced oxygen desaturation during bathing with strong exercise load. Percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) measurement is common as an indicator of oxygenation. However, most pulse oximeters have no waterproof function, and it is difficult to measure SpO2 during bathing action as usual.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the SpO2 during usual bathing action using a waterproof pulse oximeter in patients with CRD at home. We also examined the characteristics of hypoxic conditions during and after bathing.
Methods: Our study investigated 17 CRD patients receiving home-based medical care. The subjects performed a bathing operation as usual, regardless of whether assistance was necessary. SpO2 was measured with a waterproof pulse oximeter for 3 minutes before bathing, during bathing, and 3 minutes after bathing. The average SpO2 value recorded during the 3 minutes before bathing was defined as “PreSpO2“ and the difference from the average SpO2 value during bathing and after bathing was calculated as “BathΔSpO2“ and “PostΔSpO2”. The bathing action was divided into undressing, bathing, washing hair, washing face, washing body, body wiping, and clothing. Moreover, the lowest SpO2 value of each action was showed as “MinSpO2”. The shortness of breath felt most strongly in each action was evaluated in using a modified Borg scale.
Results: 17 patients with CRD were analysis subjects. BathΔSpO2 revealed a moderate and positive correlation with Post ΔSpO2 from the end of bathing to 2 minutes after bathing. MinSpO2 during clothing showed the lowest SpO2 among each action, and modified Borg scale tended to be high in washing face and washing body.
Conclusion(s): It has been suggested that the decrease in SpO2 during bathing could be predicted by evaluating SpO2 after bathing. In order to prevent hypoxemia during bathing, it was suggested that objective assessment by pulse oximeter is necessary as well as evaluation with subjective symptoms such as shortness of breath.
Implications: For CRD patients, it is important to objectively measure with a pulse oximeter, and to give appropriate assistance and behavior guidance in order to avoid a decrease in quality of life and oxygen desaturation during bathing by therapists.
Keywords: chronic respiratory diseases, bathing, a waterproof pulse oximeter
Funding acknowledgements: The authors have no conflicts of interest directly related to the content of this article.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the SpO2 during usual bathing action using a waterproof pulse oximeter in patients with CRD at home. We also examined the characteristics of hypoxic conditions during and after bathing.
Methods: Our study investigated 17 CRD patients receiving home-based medical care. The subjects performed a bathing operation as usual, regardless of whether assistance was necessary. SpO2 was measured with a waterproof pulse oximeter for 3 minutes before bathing, during bathing, and 3 minutes after bathing. The average SpO2 value recorded during the 3 minutes before bathing was defined as “PreSpO2“ and the difference from the average SpO2 value during bathing and after bathing was calculated as “BathΔSpO2“ and “PostΔSpO2”. The bathing action was divided into undressing, bathing, washing hair, washing face, washing body, body wiping, and clothing. Moreover, the lowest SpO2 value of each action was showed as “MinSpO2”. The shortness of breath felt most strongly in each action was evaluated in using a modified Borg scale.
Results: 17 patients with CRD were analysis subjects. BathΔSpO2 revealed a moderate and positive correlation with Post ΔSpO2 from the end of bathing to 2 minutes after bathing. MinSpO2 during clothing showed the lowest SpO2 among each action, and modified Borg scale tended to be high in washing face and washing body.
Conclusion(s): It has been suggested that the decrease in SpO2 during bathing could be predicted by evaluating SpO2 after bathing. In order to prevent hypoxemia during bathing, it was suggested that objective assessment by pulse oximeter is necessary as well as evaluation with subjective symptoms such as shortness of breath.
Implications: For CRD patients, it is important to objectively measure with a pulse oximeter, and to give appropriate assistance and behavior guidance in order to avoid a decrease in quality of life and oxygen desaturation during bathing by therapists.
Keywords: chronic respiratory diseases, bathing, a waterproof pulse oximeter
Funding acknowledgements: The authors have no conflicts of interest directly related to the content of this article.
Topic: Cardiorespiratory; Disaster management; Disability & rehabilitation
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: the Kobe University Graduate School of Health Science
Ethics committee: The research Ethics Committee
Ethics number: Approval No. 628
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
