Sleep and Daytime Use of Humidified Nasal High-flow Oxygen in COPD Outpatients

Humidified Nasal High-flow with Oxygen (HNHF-O2) therapy has been reported to have acute beneficial effects in patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure. HNHF-O2 may be beneficial in patients with COPD and chronic impairments in gas exchange, both hypoxemia as well as hypercapnia. HNHF-O2 may decrease work of breathing, reduce dyspnea, improve airway humidification, and potentially stabilize or reduce carbon dioxide levels. However, there is limited data showing the chronic effects of HNHF-O2 in patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure, specifically those discharged to home following hospitalization for an acute exacerbation. Data that demonstrates that HNHF-O2 is well tolerated, and stabilizes or improves gas exchange long term in patients with COPD is lacking. Similarly, data that demonstrates that this therapeutic regimen is feasible to provide to patients in the home environment are lacking. This is an open-labeled pilot study of thirty patients to determine the safety and feasibility of using the device in the outpatient management of patients with COPD. A subset of ten patients will have serial sleep studies to determine the effects, if any, on sleep.

Inclusion criteria

• admitted to the hospital for an acute exacerbation of COPD within the past 12 weeks
• have COPD as the primary diagnosis
• have smoked > 10 pack years.
• receiving supplemental oxygen as part of their usual clinical care.
• willing to give informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• upper airway or nasal problems that prohibit the use of high flow oxygen
• current use (≤ 4 weeks of study entry) of any PAP-therapy (e.g., CPAP or NPPV)
• sleep apnea as follows: STOPBang scores ≥ 5 or STOPBang score ≥ 2 plus BMI > 35 kg/m2; or Berlin questionnaire scores suggesting high likelihood of sleep apnea with increased risk of sleep-related accident (e.g., occupation as a commercial driver or pilot);
• excessive daytime sleepiness (i.e., either of High (>15) score on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale or "fall asleep" accident or "near miss" accident in prior 12 months).