Is positive airway pressure therapy underutilized in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients?

The role of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the home-setting remains controversial. Despite studies suggesting potential benefits, there is an apparent underutilization of such therapy in patients with stable COPD in a domiciliary setting. Areas covered: The reasons for underutilization in the home-setting are multifactorial, and we provide our perspective on the adequacy of scientific evidence and implementation barriers that may underlie the observed underutilization. In this article, we will discuss continuous PAP, bilevel PAP, and non-invasive positive pressure ventilation using a home ventilator (NIPPV). Expert commentary: Many patients with stable COPD and chronic respiratory failure do not receive NIPPV therapy at home despite supportive scientific evidence. Such underutilization suggests that there are barriers to implementation that include provider knowledge, health services, and payor policies. For patients with stable COPD without chronic respiratory failure, there is inadequate scientific evidence to support domiciliary NIPPV or CPAP therapy. In patients with stable COPD without chronic respiratory failure, studies aimed at identifying patient characteristics that determine the effectiveness of domiciliary NIPPV therapy needs further study. Future implementation and health-policy research with appropriate stakeholders are direly needed to help improve patient outcomes.