Effects of nasal high flow on nocturnal hypercapnia, sleep, and sympathovagal balance in patients with neuromuscular disorders.

Purpose: In neuromuscular disorders (NMD), inspiratory muscle weakness may cause sleep-related hypoventilation requiring non-invasive ventilation (NIV). Alternatively, nasal high flow therapy (NHF) may ameliorate mild nocturnal hypercapnia (NH) through washout of anatomical dead space and generation of positive airway pressure. Ventilatory support by NIV or NHF might have favourable short-term effects on sympathovagal balance (SVB). This study comparatively investigated the effects of NHF and NIV on sleep-related breathing and SVB in NMD patients with evolving NH.

Methods: Transcutaneous CO (pCO), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO), sleep outcomes and SVB (spectral analysis of heart rate, diastolic blood pressure variability) along with haemodynamic measures (cardiac index, total peripheral resistance index) were evaluated overnight in 17 patients. Polysomnographies (PSG) were randomly split into equal parts with no treatment, NIV and NHF at different flow rates (20 l/min vs. 50 l/min). In-depth analysis of SVB and haemodynamics was performed on 10-min segments of stable N2 sleep taken from each intervention.

Results: Compared with no treatment, NHF20 and NHF50 did not significantly change pCO, SpO or the apnea hypopnea index (AHI). NHF50 was poorly tolerated. In contrast, NIV significantly improved both gas exchange and AHI without adversely affecting sleep. During daytime, NHF20 and NHF50 had neutral effects on ventilation and oxygenation whereas NIV improved pCO and SpO. Effects of NIV and NHF on SVB and haemodynamics were neutral during both night and daytime.

Conclusions: NHF does not correct sleep-disordered breathing in NMD patients with NH. Both NHF and NIV exert no immediate effects on SVB.