A randomised crossover trial comparing volume assured and pressure preset noninvasive ventilation in stable hypercapnic COPD.

Recent randomised controlled trials suggest non-invasive ventilation may offer benefit in the long-term management of ventilatory failure in stable COPD. The best mode of ventilation is unknown and newer volume assured modes may offer advantages by optimising ventilation overnight when treatment is delivered. This study compares volume assured with pressure preset non-invasive ventilation.

The effects of withdrawing long-term nocturnal non-invasive ventilation in COPD patients.

Patients with ventilatory failure due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are increasingly managed with long-term non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) and this may improve survival. NIPPV can frequently be interrupted but there are few data detailing the short-term effects and none on the longer-term consequences of treatment withdrawal. Ten patients withdrew from NIPPV for 1 week and were randomised to restart NIPPV or to continued withdrawal for up to 6 months.