TY - JOUR T1 - Demographics of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) being referred and set up on home mechanical ventilation (HMV) between 2000 and 2013 JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 44 IS - Suppl 58 SP - P2097 AU - Saba Bokhari AU - Andrew Bentley AU - Nauman Chaudhry Y1 - 2014/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P2097.abstract N2 - Introduction The number of referrals to our unit for setting up patients with chronic respiratory failure due to COPD on HMV is increasing. However limited data exists as to which groups of patients with COPD are being referred for set up.Methods A retrospective review was undertaken of the demographics of all patients with a primary diagnosis of COPD set up on HMV in our service from 2000 to 2013.Results 213 patients (112 male) with chronic respiratory failure due to COPD were set up on HMV. Mean age at set up was 64 (40-84). 75% (99/ 132) had a BMI greater than 30. 11% of patients had cor pulmonale at the time of referral and 6.6% subsequently were investigated for lung cancer. Median FEV1 (n=120) was 0.85 (0.3-2.3). Exercise tolerance at time of referral (n=72) indicated 31% were housebound, 50 had a median value of 27.5 yards (5-500).The median arterial pressure of carbon dioxide at time of referral (n=100) was 8.2 (5.7-12.8). 71% of patients (n=101) were referred due to a previous admission requiring acute non invasive ventilation (NIV) - the median number of admissions (n=59) was 1 (1-9). 32% (68/213) of patients set up on HMV for COPD have died. In this group the median number of months on HMV (n=60) was 19.5 (1-99) compared to 23 (2-131) (n=132) in those still alive.Conclusions Our data suggests that there are increasing numbers of referrals for set up on HMV for patients with chronic respiratory failure due to COPD. It is possible that there is a survival advantage in patients with such advanced disease. We need to better understand whether the benefits are conferred by identifiably different clinical subgroups. ER -