HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chu, C.M. Articles by Lai, C.K.W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chu, C.M. Articles by Lai, C.K.W.

Home mechanical ventilation in Hong Kong

¹ Division of Respiratory Medicine, Dept of Medicine, United Christian Hospital, ² Dept of Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital, ³ Tuberculosis and Chest Service, Dept of Health, ⁴ Dept of Medicine, Ruttonjee Hospital, AND ⁵ Dept of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

CORRESPONDENCE: C.M. Chu, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Dept of Medicine, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China. Fax: 852 23472325. E-mail: nncmchu@netvigator.com

Keywords: asia-Pacific, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic respiratory failure, home mechanical ventilation, Hong Kong, registry

Received: February 17, 2003
Accepted July 23, 2003

Home mechanical ventilation (HMV) is increasingly used to treat chronic respiratory failure. This present study was aimed to examine the trend, the disease categories treated and the outcomes of HMV use in Hong Kong.

In the year 2002, all adult respiratory units in Hong Kong were invited to report to a multicentre retrospective survey of HMV use. A total of 249 patients (156 males, mean age 62.7±13.8 yrs) were treated since 1980, with 197 (79%) continuing with HMV at the time of the survey.

Cumulative number of HMV grew as a cubic function of time since 1980. Currently, there are 2.9 users per 100,000 population. The predominant mode of HMV was noninvasive ventilation by bilevel pressure support ventilators (n=236). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease accounted for 48.6% of all cases. The overall 3-yr HMV continuation rate was 66.2%. Death was the main reason for discontinuation.

A rapidly rising trend of home mechanical ventilation use is observed in Hong Kong. In contrast to other series, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was the major group treated and bilevel pressure support ventilation was the predominant mode chosen. Most patients tolerate home mechanical ventilation reasonably well, with approximately two-thirds continuing with its use at 36 months.