COPD Sufferers - Read the Research

January 7, 2001

If you suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease as a result of your

exposure - the following research published in " Chest " Journal might

interest you:

sa-01.html

From CHEST

Long-Term Controlled Trial of Nocturnal Nasal Positive Pressure Ventilation

in Patients With Severe COPD

Abstract

Study objectives: To determine the 1-year efficacy of noninvasive positive

pressure ventilation (NPPV) added to long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) in

patients with stable severe COPD. Patient selection and methods: We

prospectively randomized 52 patients with severe COPD (FEV1 < 45%) to either

NPPV plus " standard care " (96% patients with LTOT) or to standard care alone

(93% patients with LTOT). The outcomes measured included the following: rate

of acute COPD exacerbations; hospital admissions; intubations; and mortality

at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months. The patients were also evaluated at 3

months and 6 months for dyspnea using the Medical Research Council and Borg

scales, gas exchange, hematocrit, pulmonary function, cardiac function with

echocardiogram, and neuropsychological performance.

Results: One-year survival was similar in both groups (78%). The number of

acute exacerbations was similar at all time points in patients receiving

NPPV, compared with control subjects. The number of hospital admissions was

decreased at 3 months in the NPPV group (5% vs 15% of patients, p < 0.05),

but this difference was not seen at 6 months (18% vs 19%, respectively). The

only beneficial differences were observed in the Borg dyspnea rating, which

dropped from 6 to 5 (p< 0.039), and in one of the neuropsychological tests

(psychomotor coordination) for the NPPV group at 6 months.

Conclusions: Our study indicates that over 1 year, NPPV does not affect the

natural course of the disease and is of marginal benefit in outpatients with

2000 ACCP]

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