Patients-ventilator Interaction During Sleep: Effect of Humidification System

At present, little data is available in the medical literature regarding the affects of humidification on NIMV efficacy, sleep quality and upper airway symptoms in patients undergoing nocturnal NIMV. The aim of the present pilot study is to assess the impact of two humidification systems on sleep quality, NIMV efficacy, patient-ventilator interaction, prevalence of NIMV side effects, compliance to treatment, in a group of stable patients already enrolled in a long-term nocturnal mechanical ventilation program for chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure or sleep hypoventilation.