Abstract:
Aims. To describe the characteristics and outcomes of
patients treated with domiciliary nocturnal support
ventilation (NSV).
Methods. Case-note review of all patients treated with
home NSV by Green Lane Hospital.
Results. 111 patients received home NSV between 1990
and 1999. 59 had respiratory failure due to obesityhypoventilation
syndrome (OHS), most of whom were
Maori or Pacific Island people. Their mean BMI was
53 kg/m2. They frequently presented acutely, and often in
extremis. After a median duration of 22 months treatment,
37 patients continued treatment. Four have died, but none
from respiratory failure. Other causes of repsiratory failure
included: neuromuscular disease (26), kyphoscoliosis (19)
and obstructive sleep apnoea (8). Patients who did not have
OHS were mostly of New Zealand European ethnicity,
required lower ventilation pressures than patients with
OHS, and had better arterial blood gases on treatment.
After a median follow-up of 35 months, however, fourteen
have died. 33 continued on treatment. Both OHS and non-
OHS patients had high deprivation scores according to
NZdep96. This was most apparent for patients with OHS.
Conclusions. OHS is an important cause of respiratory
failure in New Zealand, particularly affecting Maori and
Pacific people. The prognosis of OHS treated with NSV
appears to be good despite significant co-morbidity.