The Non-Invasive Open Ventilation (NIOV) System to improve pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with respiratory insufficiency diseases and neuromuscular diseases was shown to be effective, according to data presented at the biennial COPD9USA meeting, which took place last weekend in Chicago. The study was conducted by its developer, Breathe Technologies.
The study demonstrated that NIOV led to a 63% improvement in mean exercise duration change in patients who suffer from chronic respiratory disease. Increasing physical activity and exercise are necessary to improve long-term health results, including increasing energy to conduct daily activities, maintaining a healthy weight, breathing properly and decreasing respiratory exacerbations, according to a press release from the company.
“It is well-established that pulmonary rehabilitation programs have been conclusively linked to positive clinical outcomes in dyspnea reduction, increased exercise capacity and reductions in hospitalization, but improvements in physical activity are currently limited by a lack of solutions that can be utilized to promote PR programs within clinical facilities and at home,” explained Joanne Scasserra, CRT, RPTF in the Department of Respiratory Care at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, in Livingston, N.J.
“The NIOV System is a one-pound wearable ventilator that can be easily integrated in the pulmonary rehabilitation programs in a majority of patients. We believe that this technology has the potential to improve the current paradigm of respiratory care, through improved exercise outcomes, increased ambulation and empowerment for patients to more fully engage in daily activities,” added Scarsserra.
The investigators conducted a retrospective case series study to assess the effects of wearing the noninvasive open ventilation system and evaluated patients’ pulmonary rehabilitation. After 36 visits, they concluded that the mean change in exercise time was significantly higher in the NIOV group, compared to the control group, while these participants also demonstrated a longer exercise capacity.
“We are excited to see an ongoing trend of positive study results that continue to reinforce the clinical value of NIOV in improving exercise endurance in patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency who might otherwise be sedentary due to their conditions,” stated the president and CEO of Breathe Technologies, Larry Mastrovich.
The NIOV system was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2010 to treat patients with respiratory insufficiency, as it augments the tidal volume, decreasing the effort to breath. Last September, Breathe Technologies was also granted CE Certification, allowing the company to market and sell the NIOV system in the European Union.