Quality of life of patients under home mechanical ventilation for restrictive lung diseases: a comparative evaluation with COPD patients.

The aim of this study was to compare the quality of life of patients under home mechanical ventilation (HMV) for restrictive lung disease, with the quality of life of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), having similar decrease in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), but not receiving HMV. Sixteen patients who were receiving intermittent HMV (six post-tuberculosis, four post-poliomyelitis, two neuromuscular diseases, two kyphoscoliosis, two obesity-hypoventilation syndromes) were compared to 15 COPD patients who were receiving only usual conservative treatment, including long-term oxygen therapy. Dyspnoea scores, anxiety, depression, and psychosocial scores, as well as a panel of functional parameters were measured.