Parameters recorded by software of non-invasive ventilators predict COPD exacerbation: a proof-of-concept study

Objective To assess whether daily variations in three parameters recorded by non-invasive ventilation (NIV) software (respiratory rate (RR), percentage of respiratory cycles triggered by the patient (%Trigg) and NIV daily use) predict the risk of exacerbation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) treated by home NIV. Methods Patients completed the EXACT-Pro questionnaire daily to detect exacerbations. The 25th and 75th percentiles of each 24 h NIV parameter were calculated and updated daily. For a given day, when the value of any parameter was >75th or <25th percentile, the day was marked as 'abnormal value' ('high value' >75th, 'low value' <25th). Stratified conditional logistic regressions estimated the risk of exacerbation when >= 2 days (for RR and %Trigg) or >= 3 days (for NIV use) out of five had an 'abnormal value'. Results Sixty-four patients were included. Twenty-one exacerbations were detected and medically confirmed. The risk of exacerbation was increased when RR (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.4 to 22.4) and %Trigg (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.1 to 14.5) were considered as 'high value' on >= 2 days out of five. Conclusions This proof-of-concept study shows that daily variations in RR and %Trigg are predictors of an exacerbation.