The Utility and Acceptability of a New Noninvasive Ventilatory Assist Device, Rest-Activity Cycler-Positive Airways Pressure, During Exercise in a Population of Healthy Adults: Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive ventilation has been demonstrated to benefit people who have moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during acute exacerbations. Studies have begun to investigate the effectiveness of noninvasive ventilation during pulmonary rehabilitation to improve outcomes for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; however, the lack of portability and humidification of these devices means their use is limited, especially when performing activities of daily living. A new prototype device, RACer-PAP (rest-activity cycler-positive airways pressure), delivers battery-operated positive airway pressure via a nasal interface while regulating nasal airway apportionment bias, removing the need for supplementary humidification. This device may offer people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease an improved ability to participate in pulmonary rehabilitation and activities of daily living. OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of exercising with the RACer-PAP in situ and the acceptability of the device during exercise in normal, healthy individuals. METHODS: A total of 15 healthy adults were invited to attend 2 exercise sessions, each 1 week apart. Sessions lasted approximately 1 hour and included 2 baseline 6-minute walk distance assessments, once with and once without the RACer-PAP in situ. Vital signs and spirometry results were monitored throughout, and spirometry was performed pre- and posttesting with RACer-PAP. Subjective questionnaires ascertained participant feedback on exercising with the device in situ. RESULTS: Of the 15 initial participants, 14 (93%) completed both sessions. There were no adverse events associated with exercising with the device in situ. There were no differences in vital signs or 6-minute walk distance whether exercising with or without the device in situ. There were small increases in maximum dyspnea score (on the Borg scale) when exercising with the device in situ (median score 2.0, IQR 0.5-3.0, vs 3.0, IQR 2.0-3.25). There were small increases in forced vital capacity following exercise with the RACer-PAP. None of the participants reported symptoms associated with airway drying. Participant feedback provided recommendations for modifications for the next iteration of the device prior to piloting the device with people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown RACer-PAP to be safe and feasible to use during exercise and has provided feedback for modifications to the device to improve its use during exercise. We now propose to consider the application of the device in a small pilot feasibility study to assess the safety, feasibility, and utility of the device in a population of people with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619000478112; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=375477.

Patient characteristics and predictors of completion of a pulmonary rehabilitation programme in Auckland, New Zealand.

AIM: Chronic respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are a worldwide public health problem. Pulmonary rehabilitation is a gold-standard intervention for these diseases, yet attendance and completion rates are poor. Counties Manukau Health, in Auckland, New Zealand, has a high prevalence of chronic respiratory disease and a culturally diverse population, comprising large numbers of Maori and Pacific Island people, who are known to be disproportionately affected by chronic respiratory disease. The aim of this study was to investigate patient characteristics affecting engagement with the Counties Manukau Health pulmonary rehabilitation programme and identify factors predicting completion of the programme. METHODS: Investigators performed a retrospective analysis using routinely collected data of 2,756 patients invited to attend the pulmonary rehabilitation programme at Counties Manukau Health. Data were analysed to compare demographic and clinical outcomes of patients who completed, did not complete or did not attend the programme, and identified factors predicting completion. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between groups in demographic and clinical characteristics. Increasing age, higher six-minute walk test distance at programme commencement and European ethnicity were significant predictors of completion of the PR programme. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to European people, Maori were 52% less likely and Pacific Island people were 40% less likely to complete the programme. These findings are significant for the Counties Manukau Health population. Further work needs to focus on determining how to make programmes more engaging to different cultures and how we can aim to reduce health inequities in these populations.

Health care experiences of mothers of children with bronchiectasis in Counties Manukau, Auckland, New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: Bronchiectasis is a worsening public health problem in New Zealand. This study aimed to explore the health care experiences of mothers of children with bronchiectasis in the Counties Manukau District Health Board area of Auckland, New Zealand. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with ten mothers of children with bronchiectasis. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Five themes emerged: 1) Searching for answers, describing mothers' search for a diagnosis; 2) (Dis)empowerment, describing mothers' acquisition of knowledge, leading to empowerment; 3) Health care and relationships, describing the impact of relationships on the mother's health care experiences; 4) A juggling act, describing the challenges of juggling health care with school, work and family; 5) Making it work, describing how mothers overcome barriers to access health care for their child. CONCLUSIONS: The health provider-parent relationship was crucial for fostering positive health care experiences. Mothers' acquisition of knowledge facilitated empowerment within those relationships. Additionally, mothers' perceptions of the quality and benefit of health services motivated them to overcome barriers to accessing care. Study findings may help to improve health care experiences for parents of children with bronchiectasis if identified issues are addressed.

Using Robots at Home to Support Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Socially assistive robots are being developed for patients to help manage chronic health conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Adherence to medication and availability of rehabilitation are suboptimal in this patient group, which increases the risk of hospitalization. OBJECTIVE: This pilot study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a robot delivering telehealth care to increase adherence to medication and home rehabilitation, improve quality of life, and reduce hospital readmission compared with a standard care control group. METHODS: At discharge from hospital for a COPD admission, 60 patients were randomized to receive a robot at home for 4 months or to a control group. Number of hospitalization days for respiratory admissions over the 4-month study period was the primary outcome. Medication adherence, frequency of rehabilitation exercise, and quality of life were also assessed. Implementation interviews as well as benefit-cost analysis were conducted. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses showed no significant differences in the number of respiratory-related hospitalizations between groups. The intervention group was more adherent to their long-acting inhalers (mean number of prescribed puffs taken per day=48.5%) than the control group (mean 29.5%, P=.03, d=0.68) assessed via electronic recording. Self-reported adherence was also higher in the intervention group after controlling for covariates (P=.04). The intervention group increased their rehabilitation exercise frequency compared with the control group (mean difference -4.53, 95% CI -7.16 to -1.92). There were no significant differences in quality of life. Of the 25 patients who had the robot, 19 had favorable attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that a homecare robot can improve adherence to medication and increase exercise. Further research is needed with a larger sample size to further investigate effects on hospitalizations after improvements are made to the robots. The robots could be especially useful for patients struggling with adherence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615000259549; http://www.anzctr.org.au (Archived by WebCite at  http://www.webcitation.org/6whIjptLS).

Nasal high flow oxygen therapy in the ward setting: A prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Whilst research demonstrates the benefits of nasal high flow oxygen in the intensive care setting, limited literature exists on its benefits in ward patients. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the use of nasal high flow oxygen in adult ward patients with respiratory failure or at risk of respiratory deterioration. Primary outcome was an improvement in pulmonary function as indicated by decreases in respiratory and heart rates and an increase in arterial oxygen saturation via pulse oximetry. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Using a prospective observational research design, purposeful sampling recruited 67 adult ward patients receiving nasal high flow oxygen between May and July 2015 (inclusive). All recruited patients were included in the data analysis. RESULTS: The median age was 71.0 years (q25, q75=58.0, 78.0) and most patients were medical specialty patients (n=46, 68.7%). After commencing nasal high flow oxygen, respiratory rate (t=2.79, p=<0.01) and heart rate (t=2.23, p=0.03) decreased and arterial oxygen saturation via pulse oximetry increased (t=4.08, p=<0.001). CONCLUSION: Nasal high flow oxygen appears effective in a selective group of ward patients with respiratory failure, or at risk of respiratory deterioration, and may reduce demand on critical care beds; this warrants further research.