Vitabreath Pilot in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients
COPD, Dyspnea
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for COPD
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age ≥ 40
- Ability to provide consent
- COPD diagnosis
- Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) <55 and ≥ 25 percent of predicted value
- Perceived Shortness of Breath via the Modified Medical Research Counsel Dyspnea questionnaire (rating of 2 or greater) (Appendix B)
- Able to follow directions
- Able to tolerate mild physical activity
- Pursed Lip Breathing as standard of care
- No evidence of bullous lung disease (with any bullae greater than 3cm in diameter) as confirmed by a CT scan within the past one year.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Subjects who are acutely ill, medically complicated or who are medically unstable as determined by the investigator.
- Suffering from COPD exacerbation at time of enrollment or 60 days prior
- Subjects who are not currently prescribed oxygen and manifest oxygen desaturation below 88% on the screening 6MWT
- Subjects with heart disease or neuromuscular disease.
- Subjects who are not prescribed short-acting bronchodilator medication
- Patients who have experienced recent barotrauma or pneumothorax
- Unstable angina or Myocardial Infarction during past month
- Uncontrolled Hypertension (systolic blood pressure of >180mmHg (millimeters of Mercury) and a diastolic >100mmHg)
- Heart Rate >120 at rest
- Subjects who have trouble coordinating their breathing with the device during the device training, or cannot tolerate the device mouthpiece resulting in leaks from the nasal cavity
- Women of child-bearing potential (WOCP) who are pregnant, breast-feeding, or planning pregnancy during the course of the study. (WOCP must have a negative pregnancy test at every visit)
Sites / Locations
- Pullmonary Rehabilition Associates
- Pittsburgh Pulmonary Associates
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Vitabreath Device
Pursed Lip Breathing
The Philips Respironics investigational device VitaBreath is a handheld, battery powered, intermittent positive airway pressure device that is non-invasive, and provides positive airway pressure (PAP) of 18 cm water (H2O) during inspiration and 8 cm H2O on expiration, thus creating 10 cm H2O of pressure support. Pressure support is defined as the difference between inhalation pressure and exhalation pressure. The study device is intended as an adjunct therapy to relieve shortness of breath in COPD patients who experience exertion-related dyspnea to allow them to be more active. The air is delivered to the patient via a mouthpiece on the device.
Pursed lip breathing is a commonly used technique by COPD patients. That involves exhaling through tightly pressed lips and inhaling through the nose with the mouth closed.