Battery life of portable home ventilators: effects of ventilator settings.

BACKGROUND: The battery life (BL) of portable home ventilator batteries is reported by manufacturers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ventilator mode, breathing frequency, PEEP, and leaks on the BL of 5 commercially available portable ventilators. METHODS: The effects of the ventilator mode (volume controlled-continuous mandatory ventilation [VC-CMV] vs pressure support ventilation [PSV]), PEEP 5 cm H2O, breathing frequency (10, 15, and 20 breaths/min), and leaks during both volume-targeted ventilation and PSV on the BL of 5 ventilators (Elisée 150, Monnal T50, PB560, Vivo 50, and Trilogy 100) were evaluated. Each ventilator was ventilated with a test lung at a tidal volume of 700 ml and an inspiratory time of 1.2 s in the absence of leaks. RESULTS: Switching from PSV to VC-CMV or the addition of PEEP did not significantly change ventilator BL. The increase in breathing frequency from 10 to 20 breaths/min decreased the BL by 18 ± 11% (P = .005). Leaks were associated with an increase in BL during the VC-CMV mode (18 ± 20%, P = .04) but a decrease in BL during the PSV mode (-13 ± 15%, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: The BL of home ventilators depends on the ventilator settings. BL is not affected by the ventilator mode (VC-CMV or PSV) or the addition of PEEP. BL decreases with an increase in breathing frequency and during leaks with a PSV mode, whereas leaks increase the duration of ventilator BL during VC-CMV.