| Popis: |
Background: Respiratory complications are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMD). The aim of this study was to examine the demographic data of subjects with NMD using a mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) device and the effect of an MI-E device on quality of life (QoL) and hospitalization. Methods: The study included patients under 18 years with NMD followed up in the Pediatric Pulmonology Polyclinic between December 2019 and December 2020. Twenty-seven patients with NMD using an MI-E for at least 3 months were enrolled in the study group and 30 patients with NMD using only manuel airway clearance techniques were enrolled in the control group. Data were collected with respect to clinical and demographic characteristics, the MI-E device settings, ease of expectoration visual analogue scores (EE), and the QoL scores. Thirteen subjects, who used an MI-E device for more than 12 months, were assessed pre-and post-MI-E use hospitalization data for respiratory reasons. Results: The mean EE scores were significantly higher after MI-E device use compared to before. Among participants who were evaluated pre- and post-MI-E use there was a significant decrease in the number of hospital admissions and length of stay. The mean QoL scores of subjects diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with tracheostomy in study group were determined to be significantly higher than SMA with tracheostomy in control group. Conclusions: Use of an MI-E device made a positive contribution to EE, number of hospital admissions and length of stay in patients with NMD, and it contributed positively to QoL in patients with SMA. |
