RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Home mechanical ventilation in Hong Kong
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 136
OP 141
DO 10.1183/09031936.03.00017803
VO 23
IS 1
A1 C.M. Chu
A1 W.C. Yu
A1 C.M. Tam
A1 C.W. Lam
A1 D.S.C. Hui
A1 C.K.W. Lai
A1 on behalf of the Hong Kong Home Ventilation Registry, Hong Kong Thoracic Society
YR 2004
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/23/1/136.abstract
AB 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.