Abstract
Introduction: Prolonged mechanical ventilation may be provided to children with chronic ventilatory failure as non-invasive ventilatory assistance at home (NIVA).
Objective: To describe clinical characteristics, evolution outcomes and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) of pediatric patients admitted into the Chilean NIVA program.
Patients and Methods: Medical files of patients included in the program, were reviewed during a period of 24 months (2006-2008), using follow-up protocols.
Results: There were a total of 177 children, with an average age of 9.7 ± 4.7 years. Fourteen patients died of non-related causes. Diagnoses were: neuromuscular disease (NMD) 64%, myelomeningocele 6%, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome 6%, lung disease 20% and miscellaneous 4%. Compared to the previous year, hospitalization decreased from 60 to 21% (p < 0.00001) and from 1.3 hospitalizations/patient/year to 0.3 (p < 0.00001). HRQOL improved significantly, AUQUEI 17.2 ± 5.6 (p < 0.05), IRS 26.4 ± 8.2 points (p < 0.05) in 82 patients. In 21 patients with NMD an average increase of 27 cmH2O on muscular inspiratory pressure (p < 0.05) after respiratory training was observed.
Conclusions: The NIVA program reduced hospitalizations and improved HRQOL. In a group of patients the muscle strength increased with stable respiratory function.
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