Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become one of the main indications for domiciliary ventilation, which is usually non-invasive (NIV). This review focuses on the pathophysiology processes and clinical trial data that underlie current guidelines from international societies.
State of the art: To date most published studies about domiciliary ventilation in COPD have been short-term and their message is complicated by the presence of significant methodological problems. The two controlled studies of > or =12 months-duration both found that survival was not improved by long-term NIV. Domiciliary ventilation may be considered when long-term oxygen therapy is unsuccessful and when failed with a progressive deterioration in clinical respiratory status with recurrent episodes of acute hypercapnic respiratory failure. A diurnal PaCO(2) > or =55 mmHg (7.3 kPa) is a necessary but not sufficient condition to consider domiciliary ventilation.
Conclusion: Domiciliary ventilation should only be initiated in selected patients on the basis of clinical symptoms and exacerbation frequency. Until further characterization of patients who are likely to respond, the response to treatment should be assessed regularly.