Domiciliary nocturnal intermittent positive pressure ventilation in patients with respiratory failure due to severe COPD: long term follow up and effect on survival

Abstract

Domiciliary NIPPV results in improvements in arterial blood gas tensions which are sustained after two years of treatment and reduces both hospital admissions and general practitioner visits by patients with severe COPD in hypercapnoeic respiratory failure. It is well tolerated and, although there was no control group, survival appears to be prolonged when these results are compared with those of the NOTT and MRC (LTOT) trials.