Cost Effectiveness of Outpatient Set-up of Automated NIV in Obese Patients With Chronic Respiratory Failure

There is an increase of patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure as a consequence of obesity. The current treatment options for patients with obesity related respiratory failure is non-invasive ventilation (NIV). This has shown to reduce partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) and improves symptoms such as dyspnea (breathlessness)and enhances quality of life. NIV has also shown to increase physical activity (using actigraphy)and there can be associated weight reduction after three months of initiation. Currently, the length of an inpatient stay for NIV set up is between 4.5 and 6 days. As yet it is unknown whether or not a patient can be set up onto NIV as effectively on an outpatient basis using an AE-AVAPS (Automatic Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure - Average Volume Assured Pressure Support) algorithm compared to the usual practice of inpatient titration by specialist respiratory nurses. Furthermore, the cost effectiveness of outpatient initiation vs inpatient initiation is unknown in this group of patients. This will be the first trial to assess the cost effectiveness of such a set up.