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Is there Evidence that Non-Invasive Ventilation has an Effect on Anxiety and Dyspnea and thus on Health Related Quality of Life in Patients with COPD?

Charlotte Sandau Bech*, Dorthe Gaby Bove, Ingelise Trodsborg Stassen and Jens-Ulrik Stæhr Jensen

Objective: Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are a growing group. The main symptom is dyspnoea and subsequent disease is long, often marked by anxiety and reduced quality of life. The literature indicates a link between anxiety, dyspnoea and quality of life, and that non-pharmacological actions have an effect on these symptoms. Non-invasive ventilation NIV is a non-pharmacological intervention given to patients in hospitals as well as in homes when stable. This article therefore raises the following questions: Is there evidence that NIV has an effect on anxiety and dyspnoea, and thus on Health Related Quality of Life HRQL? Methods: A systematic review including search strings in PubMed, Cochrane and CINAHL. Results: - Moderate evidence indicates that NIV has significant effect on dyspnoea. - Low evidence indicates that NIV has significant effect on HRQL measured by the difference between the intervention and control groups. -There is no evidence of the effect of NIV on anxiety. Significance of results: The conclusion is interesting with regard to the perspective of mainstreaming NIV as a palliative part of future pulmonary rehabilitation because the relief of dyspnoea may provide patients with a better opportunity to actively participate in rehabilitation and thereby increase HRQL.