Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) represents an effective treatment for chronic respiratory failure. However, empirically determined NIV settings may not achieve optimal ventilatory support. Therefore, ...the efficacy of NIV should be systematically monitored. The minimal recommended monitoring strategy includes clinical assessment, arterial blood gases (ABG) and nocturnal transcutaneous pulsed oxygen saturation (SpO
). Polysomnography is a theoretical gold standard but is not routinely available in many centers. Simple tools such as transcutaneous capnography (TcPCO
) or ventilator built-in software provide reliable informations but their role in NIV monitoring has yet to be defined. The aim of our work was to compare the accuracy of different combinations of tests to assess NIV efficacy.
This retrospective comparative study evaluated the efficacy of NIV in consecutive patients through four strategies (A, B, C and D) using four different tools in various combinations. These tools included morning ABG, nocturnal SpO
, TcPCO
and data provided by built-in software via a dedicated module. Strategy A (ABG + nocturnal SpO
), B (nocturnal SpO
+ TcPCO
) and C (TcPCO
+ builtin software) were compared to strategy D, which combined all four tools (NIV was appropriate if all four tools were normal).
NIV was appropriate in only 29 of the 100 included patients. Strategy A considered 53 patients as appropriately ventilated. Strategy B considered 48 patients as appropriately ventilated. Strategy C misclassified only 6 patients with daytime hypercapnia.
Monitoring ABG and nocturnal SpO
is not enough to assess NIV efficacy. Combining data from ventilator built-in software and TcPCO
seems to represent the best strategy to detect poor NIV efficacy. Trial registration Institutional Review Board of the Société de Pneumologie de Langue Française (CEPRO 2016 Georges).
For some patients, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) remains an uncomfortable therapy despite the constant development of technological innovations. To date, no real life study has ...investigated the relationship between mask related side-effects (MRSEs) and CPAP-non-adherence (defined as < 4 h/day) or residual-excessive-sleepiness (RES, Epworth-Sleepiness-Scale (ESS) score ≥ 11) in the long-term.
The InterfaceVent-CPAP study is a prospective real-life cross-sectional study conducted in an apneic adult cohort undergoing at least 3 months of CPAP with unrestricted mask-access (34 different masks). MRSEs were evaluated using visual-analogue-scales, CPAP-data using CPAP-software, sleepiness using ESS.
1484 patients were included in the analysis (72.2% male, median age 67 years (IQ
: 60-74), initial Apnea-Hypopnea-Index (AHI) of 39 (31-56)/h, residual AHI
was 1.9 (0.9-4) events/h), CPAP-treatment lasted 4.4 (2.0-9.7) years, CPAP-usage was 6.8 (5.5-7.8) h/day, the prevalence of CPAP-non-adherence was 8.6%, and the prevalence of RES was 16.17%. Leak-related side-effects were the most prevalent side-effects (patient-reported leaks concerned 75.4% of responders and had no correlation with CPAP-reported-leaks). Multivariable logistic regression analyses evaluating explanatory-variable (demographic data, device/mask data and MRSEs) effects on variables-of-interest (CPAP-non-adherence and RES), indicated for patient-MRSEs significant associations between: (i) CPAP-non-adherence and dry-mouth (p = 0.004); (ii) RES and patient-reported leaks (p = 0.007), noisy mask (p < 0.001), dry nose (p < 0.001) and harness pain (p = 0.043).
In long-term CPAP-treated patients, leak-related side-effects remain the most prevalent side-effects, but patient-reported leaks cannot be predicted by CPAP-reported-leaks. Patient-MRSEs can be independently associated with CPAP-non-adherence and RES, thus implying a complementary role for MRSE questionnaires alongside CPAP-device-reported-data for patient monitoring. Trial registration InterfaceVent is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03013283).
Discharging a chronic critically ill patient is a risky procedure if the clinician does not have full control of his prescription. This is even more important when applying a machine to replace a ...failing organ, as is the case for home ventilation. Even if modern home ventilators fulfil quality and safety criteria and, 'on paper', ventilators and masks look very similar, performance and scenarios of applicability are not always equivalent. In the case of ventilators, the type of circuit, accessories provided and available modes vary between devices. Bench studies comparing ventilators have shown large differences in triggering, rise time, pressurisation capacities, maximal flow provided, cycling and level of authorised expiratory positive airway pressure. Automated algorithms to deal with leaks also vary and have not been sufficiently evaluated. In the case of interfaces, the choice of mask requires careful evaluation of the underlying disease and of the type of ventilator and circuit, which could have a potentially major impact on patient compliance and clinical effectiveness. This could explain different results in the same clinical situation. The choice of ventilator and type of mask represents a medical prescription and should be respected by the provider and not subject to financial constraints.
PURPOSE OF REVIEWThe purpose of this review is the ‘when’ and ‘how’ of the matter of withdrawing noninvasive ventilation (NIV) at end-of-life (EoL) setting, having in mind the implications for ...patients, families and healthcare team.
RECENT FINDINGSSeveral recent publications raised the place and potential applications of NIV at EoL setting. However, there are no clear guidelines about when and how to withdraw NIV in these patients. Continuing NIV in a failing clinical condition may unnecessarily prolong the dying process. This is particularly relevant as frequently, EoL discussions are started only when patients are in severe distress, and they have little time to discuss their preferences and decisions.
SUMMARYBetter advanced chronic disease and EoL condition definitions, as well as identification of possible scenarios, should help to decision-making and find the appropriate time to initiate, withhold and withdraw NIV. This review emphasized the relevance of an integrated approach across illness’ trajectories and key transitions of patients who will need EoL care and such sustaining support measure.
Long term noninvasive ventilation (LTNIV) is a recognized treatment for chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure (CHRF). COPD, obesity-hypoventilation syndrome, neuromuscular disorders, various ...restrictive disorders, and patients with sleep-disordered breathing are the major groups concerned. The purpose of this narrative review is to summarize current knowledge in the field of monitoring during home ventilation. LTNIV improves symptoms related to CHRF, diurnal and nocturnal blood gases, survival, and health-related quality of life. Initially, patients with LTNIV were most often followed through elective short in-hospital stays to ensure patient comfort, correction of daytime blood gases and nocturnal oxygenation, and control of nocturnal respiratory events. Because of the widespread use of LTNIV, elective in-hospital monitoring has become logistically problematic, time consuming, and costly. LTNIV devices presently have a built-in software which records compliance, leaks, tidal volume, minute ventilation, cycles triggered and cycled by the patient and provides detailed pressure and flow curves. Although the engineering behind this information is remarkable, the quality and reliability of certain signals may vary. Interpretation of the curves provided requires a certain level of training. Coupling ventilator software with nocturnal pulse oximetry or transcutaneous capnography performed at the patient's home can however provide important information and allow adjustments of ventilator settings thus potentially avoiding hospital admissions. Strategies have been described to combine different tools for optimal detection of an inefficient ventilation. Recent devices also allow adapting certain parameters at a distance (pressure support, expiratory positive airway pressure, back-up respiratory rate), thus allowing progressive changes in these settings for increased patient comfort and tolerance, and reducing the requirement for in-hospital titration. Because we live in a connected world, analyzing large groups of patients through treatment of "big data" will probably improve our knowledge of clinical pathways of our patients, and factors associated with treatment success or failure, adherence and efficacy. This approach provides a useful add-on to randomized controlled studies and allows generating hypotheses for better management of HMV.
First described in December 2019 in Wuhan (China), COVID-19 disease rapidly spread worldwide, constituting the biggest pandemic in the last 100 years. Even if SARS-CoV-2, the agent responsible for ...COVID-19, is mainly associated with pulmonary injury, evidence is growing that this virus can affect many organs, including the heart and vascular endothelial cells, and cause haemostasis, CNS, and kidney and gastrointestinal tract abnormalities that can impact in the disease course and prognosis. In fact, COVID-19 may affect almost all the organs. Hence, SARS-CoV-2 is essentially a systemic infection that can present a large number of clinical manifestations, and it is variable in distribution and severity, which means it is potentially life-threatening. The goal of this comprehensive review paper in the series is to give an overview of non-pulmonary involvement in COVID-19, with a special focus on underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical presentation.
Whereas telemedicine usage is growing, the only clinical algorithm for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) adherence management is that stipulated by the 2013 American Thoracic Society (ATS). ...The capacity of the latter to predict non-adherence in long-term CPAP-treated patients has not been validated.
Patients from the prospective real-life InterfaceVent study (NCT03013283, study conducted in an adult cohort undergoing at least 3 months of CPAP) and eligible for ATS algorithm usage were analysed. The residual device Apnea-Hypopnea-Index (AHI
) and High Large Leak (HLL) thresholds proposed in the ATS algorithm were evaluated for predicting adherence (i.e. AHI
> 10/h, HLLs 95th > 24 L/min for ResMed® devices and ResMed® nasal mask, HLLs 95th > 36 l/min for ResMed® devices and ResMed® oronasal masks, HLLs > 1 h for Philips® devices and HHLs > 60 l/min for Fisher & Paykel® devices). Adherence was defined according to the 2013 ATS algorithm (i.e. CPAP use > 4 h/j for at least 70% of days).
650/1484 patients eligible for ATS algorithm usage were analysed (15.38% non-adherent, 74% male with a median (IQ
) age of 68 (61-77) years, a body mass index of 30.8 (27.7-34.5) kg/m
, an initial AHI of 39 (31-55) events/h, and CPAP-treatment-duration of 5.1 (2.2-7.8) years). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated no significant relationship between the ATS proposed AHI
or HLL thresholds and non-adherence. Complementary ROC curve analysis failed to determine satisfactory AHI
and HLL thresholds.
When managing non-adherence in long-term CPAP-treated patients, our data do not validate absolute AHI
or HLL thresholds in general.
The INTERFACE-VENT study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: study ( NCT03013283 ).
Backgrounds As a consequence of the increased mortality observed in the SERVE-HF study, many questions concerning the safety and rational use of ASV in other indications emerged. The aim of this ...study was to describe the clinical characteristics of ASV-treated patients in real-life conditions. Methods The OTRLASV-study is a prospective, 5-centre study including patients who underwent ASV-treatment for at least 1 year. Patients were consecutively included in the study during the annual visit imposed for ASV-reimbursement renewal. Results 177/214 patients were analysed (87.57% male) with a median (IQ.sub.25-75) age of 71 (65-77) years, an ASV-treatment duration of 2.88 (1.76-4.96) years, an ASV-usage of 6.52 (5.13-7.65) hours/day, and 54.8% were previously treated via continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). The median Epworth Scale Score decreased from 10 (6-13.5) to 6 (3-9) (p < 0.001) with ASV-therapy, the apnea-hypopnea-index decreased from 50 (38-62)/h to a residual device index of 1.9 (0.7-3.8)/h (p < 0.001). The majority of patients were classified in a Central-Sleep-Apnea group (CSA; 59.3%), whereas the remaining are divided into an Obstructive-Sleep-Apnea group (OSA; 20.3%) and a Treatment-Emergent-Central-Sleep-Apnea group (TECSA; 20.3%). The Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) was > 45% in 92.7% of patients. Associated comorbidities/etiologies were cardiac in nature for 75.7% of patients (neurological for 12.4%, renal for 4.5%, opioid-treatment for 3.4%). 9.6% had idiopathic central-sleep-apnea. 6.2% of the patients were hospitalized the year preceding the study for cardiological reasons. In the 6 months preceding inclusion, night monitoring (i.e. polygraphy or oximetry during ASV usage) was performed in 34.4% of patients, 25.9% of whom required a subsequent setting change. According to multivariable, logistic regression, the variables that were independently associated with poor adherence (ASV-usage less than or equai to4 h in duration) were TECSA group versus CSA group (p = 0.010), a higher Epworth score (p = 0.019) and lack of a night monitoring in the last 6 months (p < 0.05). Conclusions In real-life conditions, ASV-treatment is often associated with high cardiac comorbidities and high compliance. Future research should assess how regular night monitoring may optimize devices settings and patient management. Trial registration The OTRLASV study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT02429986) on 1 April 2015. Keywords: Adaptive servo-ventilation, Central sleep apnea, Chronic heart failure, CPAP, Obstructive sleep apnea, Treatment emergent central sleep apnea, Sleep-disordered breathing
Backgrounds To explain the excess cardiovascular mortality observed in the SERVE-HF study, it was hypothesized that the high-pressure ASV default settings used lead to inappropriate ventilation, ...cascading negative consequences (i.e. not only pro-arrythmogenic effects through metabolic/electrolyte abnormalities, but also lower cardiac output). The aims of this study are: i) to describe ASV-settings for long-term ASV-populations in real-life conditions; ii) to describe the associated minute-ventilations (MV) and therapeutic pressures for servo-controlled-flow versus servo-controlled-volume devices (ASV-F PhilipsR-devices versus ASV-V ResMedR-devices). Methods The OTRLASV-study is a cross-sectional, 5-centre study including patients who underwent ASV-treatment for at least 1 year. The eight participating clinicians were free to adjust ASV settings, which were compared among i) initial diagnosed sleep-disordered-breathing (SBD) groups (Obstructive-Sleep-Apnea (OSA), Central-Sleep-Apnea (CSA), Treatment-Emergent-Central-Sleep-Apnea (TECSA)), and ii) unsupervised groups (k-means clusters). To generate these clusters, baseline and follow-up variables were used (age, sex, body mass index (BMI), initial diagnosed Obstructive-Apnea-Index, initial diagnosed Central-Apnea-Index, Continuous-Positive-Airway-Pressure used before ASV treatment, presence of cardiopathy, and presence of a reduced left-ventricular-ejection-fraction (LVEF)). ASV-data were collected using the manufacturer's software for 6 months. Results One hundred seventy-seven patients (87.57% male) were analysed with a median (IQ.sub.25-75) initial Apnea-Hypopnea-Index of 50 (38-62)/h, an ASV-treatment duration of 2.88 (1.76-4.96) years, 61.58% treated with an ASV-V. SDB groups did not differ in ASV settings, MV or therapeutic pressures. In contrast, the five generated k-means clusters did (generally described as follows: (C1) male-TECSA-cardiopathy, (C2) male-mostly-CSA-cardiopathy, (C3) male-mostly-TECSA-no cardiopathy, (C4) female-mostly-elevated BMI-TECSA-cardiopathy, (C5) male-mostly-OSA-low-LVEF). Of note, the male-mostly-OSA-low-LVEF-cluster-5 had significantly lower fixed end-expiratory-airway-pressure (EPAP) settings versus C1 (p = 0.029) and C4 (p = 0.007). Auto-EPAP usage was higher in the male-mostly-TECSA-no cardiopathy-cluster-3 versus C1 (p = 0.006) and C2 (p < 0.001). MV differences between ASV-F (p = 0.002) and ASV-V (p < 0.001) were not homogenously distributed across clusters, suggesting specific cluster and ASV-algorithm interactions. Individual ASV-data suggest that the hyperventilation risk is not related to the cluster nor the ASV-monitoring type. Conclusions Real-life ASV settings are associated with combinations of baseline and follow-up variables wherein cardiological variables remain clinically meaningful. At the patient level, a hyperventilation risk exists regardless of cluster or ASV-monitoring type, spotlighting a future role of MV-telemonitoring in the interest of patient-safety. Trial registration The OTRLASV study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT02429986). 1 April 2015. Keywords: Adaptive servo-ventilation, Setting, Minute volume, Tidal volume, Pressure, Cluster, Cardiopathy, Sleep-disordered breathing
Home mechanical ventilation (HMV) is a viable and effective strategy for patients with chronic respiratory failure (CRF). The Chilean Ministry of Health started a program for adults in 2008.
This ...study examined the following data from a prospective cohort of patients with CRF admitted to the national HMV program: characteristics, mode of admission, quality of life, time in the program and survival.
A total of 1105 patients were included. The median age was 59 years (44-58). Women accounted for 58.1% of the sample. The average body mass index (BMI) was 34.9 (26-46) kg/m
. A total of 76.2% of patients started HMV in the stable chronic mode, while 23.8% initiated HMV in the acute mode. A total of 99 patients were transferred from the children's program. There were 1047 patients on non-invasive ventilation and 58 patients on invasive ventilation. The median baseline PaCO
level was 58.2 (52-65) mmHg. The device usage time was 7.3 h/d (5.8-8.8), and the time in HMV was 21.6 (12.2-49.5) months. The diagnoses were COPD (35%), obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS; 23.9%), neuromuscular disease (NMD; 16.3%), non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis or tuberculosis (non-CF BC or TBC; 8.3%), scoliosis (5.9%) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; 5.24%). The baseline score on the Severe Respiratory Insufficiency questionnaire (SRI) was 47 (± 17.9) points and significantly improved over time. The lowest 1- and 3-year survival rates were observed in the ALS group, and the lowest 9-year survival rate was observed in the non-CF BC or TB and COPD groups. The best survival rates at 9 years were OHS, scoliosis and NMD. In 2017, there were 701 patients in the children's program and 722 in the adult´s program, with a prevalence of 10.4 per 100,000 inhabitants.
The most common diagnoses were COPD and OHS. The best survival was observed in patients with OHS, scoliosis and NMD. The SRI score improved significantly in the follow-up of patients with HMV. The prevalence of HMV was 10.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. Trial registration This study was approved by and registered at the ethics committee of North Metropolitan Health Service of Santiago, Chile (N° 018/2021).
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