Oxygen Therapy During Exercise Training in Inpatient Rehabilitation in Chronic Lung Disease- Does it Matter?

The aim of the current study is the effect of SSOT during a 3-weeks inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program. Further aim is to analyze exercise endurance, distinguishing between those exercising whilst breathing air at 760m "normoxia", breathing air at approx. 1600m "hypoxia", or breathing SSOT at 760m "hyperoxia" conditions during inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation. The objective of the study is to provide long-awaited data concerning the use of SSOT during training. To date, it is not clear whether patients with chronic lung diseases who reveal a SpO2 \> 88% at rest but desaturate during exercise and thus may not qualify for long-term oxygen therapy undergoing PR benefit from supplemental oxygen.