What is it about?
It is known that humidified and warm air applied through nasal high flow treatment reduces the work of breathing. In our study we can show that nasal flow can reduce sympathetic actvity during sleep whereas oxygen treatment cannot. This beneficial effect of nasal high flow was most prominent in patients with severely impaired lung function due to COPD.
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Why is it important?
Our paper adds evidence to the potential underlying mechanisms why nasal high flow can provide beneficial effects to respiration, sleep and overall well-beeing in patients with COPD.
Perspectives
Nasal high flow treatment is associated with reduced finger vascular sympathetic tone. Our results suggest that nasal high flow may have positive impact on overall sympathico-vagal balance in COPD patients. The impact of this finding on the overall cardiovascular risk of this patient group needs to be further studied.
Ludger Grote
Center for sleep and wake disorders, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Nasal high flow, but not supplemental O2, reduces peripheral vascular sympathetic activity during sleep in COPD patients, International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, November 2018, Dove Medical Press,
DOI: 10.2147/copd.s166093.
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