NASAL POSITIVE PRESSURE VENTILATION IN CY STIC-FIBROSIS CHILDREN - PRELIMINARY DATA ON THIS NONINVASIVE METHOD

Background. Chronic respiratory failure (CRF) with hypoxia and hyperca pnia is the last ineluctable phase in cystic fibrosis (CF). Nasal posi tive pressure ventilation (NPPV), a non-invasive method, may be given to CF children with CRF, especially to patients accepted for transplan tation (T). This method improves ventilatory function by resting the c hronically exhausted respiratory muscles, facilitates bronchial draina ge by physiotherapy, prevents the exacerbations of the illness and pre pares patients for T Methods and patients. NPPV was used in 6 CF patie nts (mean age 13 years 6 months). One of them was transplanted 15 days later, two of them were accepted for T. All had hypoxia. Five of them had hypercapnia. Results. NPPV was given to four patients for 3 to 14 months. The preliminary results were positive. One patient gained wei ght, two had more fluid sputum. One patient showed an increase in func tional respiratory tests (FRT: PaO2, vital capacity, FEV-1) while thes e tests were stabilized in the others. Conclusions. NPPV in an effecti ve non-invasive method for use with CF children. It is indicated for C F patients accepted for T and also earlier, for CF patients with CRF i n order to prevent acute exacerbations and functional respiratory dete rioration.