Domiciliary non-invasive ventilation and the quality of life outcome of patients suffering from chronic respiratory failure.
Non-invasive ventilation assists breathing and hence improves oxygenation in patients with respiratory failure. Its role in the hospital is well established. Our study examined whether Non-invasive ventilation improves the quality of life in patients with chronic respiratory failure treated in the community. We followed up 17 patients suffering from chronic respiratory failure due to various medical conditions who were treated with community-based non-invasive ventilation. The diagnostic categories were severe kyphoscoliosis (2), healed pulmonary T.B plus lobectomy/pneumonectomy (4), healed pulmonary T.B with thoracoplasty and severe kyphoscoliosis (3), severe COAD (5) and muscular dystrophy (3). Activities of daily life (ADL) of all these patients had been affected by chronic respiratory failure. Quality of life (QOL) assessment both Pre and Post NIV was made using the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRDQ). The arterial blood gases were used as an objective measure in these patients. The mean dyspnoea score was (pre and post) 3.47 and 4.76 (p = .0003), Emotional Function 3.24 and 4.65 (p = 0), Fatigue was 3.00 and 4.74 (p = .0003), Mastery 3.22 and 4.5(p = .0003) respectively. The median CRDQ score (pre and post NIV) was 12.94 and 19.04 (p =.0001). The mean paCO2 (pre and post-NIV) was 7.70 kpa and 6.44 kPa (p = .0001), the mean paO2 was 6.79 kpa and 9.39 kpa (p < .003).


CONCLUSIONS
The data in our study showed that community-based NIV significantly improved Quality Of Life (QOL) including dyspnoea, fatigue, mastery, emotional function as well as arterial blood gases.
Ali
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St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin. drsardarali@gmail.com
Kabir
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014797:Vital Capacity