Source: Annual Congress 2002 - Assessment of lung function, telemonitoring and quality of life
Disease area: Airway diseases

Abstract

Oxygen and air are odorless and colorless gases. Does this change when they are packaged for medical use? This study tested the hypothesis that medical grade oxygen and compressed air are indistinguishable.
The study population (N=148) was randomly selected from adults participating in a public health awareness forum. In order to establish a baseline for subsequent evaluation of the two gases, each gas was identified and administered at 7 L/min through medical grade tubing held approximately 5 cm from the nose and mouth of each participant. Participants were then blind-folded and exposed to one of the two gases chosen at random. The following questions were asked: 1. Do you know which gas this is? 2. If yes, was it due to the smell, taste or some other reason?
141/148 (95.2%) thought that they could distinguish the two gases. 93/148 (66%) were correct. Chi square analysis revealed a significant difference (p=0.006) in the ability to distinguish medical grade oxygen versus compressed air. Individuals exposed to medical grade oxygen were more likely to correctly identify the gas compared to those exposed to medical grade compressed air (Odds Ratio 3.15). There was no significant correlation between the descriptive characteristics chosen (smell, taste, other e.g. guess) and the ability to correctly identify the gas.
In this study, medical grade oxygen was distinguishable from medical grade compressed air. This factor should be considered in the design of studies where blinding to gas administration is important. No distinguishing characteristic of the gases was clear from this study.

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Citations should be made in the following way:
I. Galloway, A. Dale, R. A. McIvor, C. P. McParland, P. Hernandez (Halifax, Canada). Are medical grade oxygen and compressed air distinguishable?. Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 999

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