Combined therapy for COPD patients works, study says

LONDON - Adding home non-invasive ventilation to home oxygen therapy decreases the risk of re-hospitalization for COPD patients, according to a study presented this week at the 2016 European Respiratory Society International Congress. Patients in the study who received home non-invasive ventilation in addition to home oxygen therapy had a 51% decreased risk of re-hospitalization or death compared to those who received oxygen therapy alone. Patients who received home non-invasive ventilation went a median 4.3 months without dying or being admitted to the hospital, compared to 1.4 months for those who did not receive non-invasive ventilation, according to the study. Both ResMed and Philips Respironics participated in the multicenter, randomized controlled study, known as “Home Oxygen Therapy - Home Mechanical Ventilation” or HOT-HMV. In press releases, the companies pointed to the potential savings of combining home non-invasive ventilation and home oxygen therapy to care for patients with COPD, which costs the U.S. $36 billion in direct and indirect costs.