Home Use of Mechanical Insufflation/Exsufflation in Adult Patients in Western Switzerland

Mechanical insufflation/exsufflation (MI-E) devices are often prescribed to patients with inefficient cough and recurrent infections, but their use in the home setting is not well characterized.

The objective of this study was to report a real-life experience and identify factors that are associated with home MI-E use in adult patients.

This is a cross-sectional observational study of adult subjects with neurological disease using MI-E at home for more than 3 months.

A total of 43 patients were included. Median age (interquartile range) was 48 (31-64) years. The most common diagnosis was muscular dystrophy (n = 15), followed by multiple sclerosis (n = 7) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n = 7). 24 subjects (56%) reported using the MI-E at least once weekly. Based on device data downloads, the median objective use was 23% of days analysed (approximately 2 times per week). The vast majority (94%) of all participants reported using the device at least daily during an infectious episode, while 62% reported having used the device in emergency situations such as bronchoaspiration. Reported use correlated well with objective use (r = 0.82). Most subjects reported an improvement in their respiratory health (64%) and were satisfied with the device (78%). Higher reported and objective use were associated with increased symptoms (p = 0.001) and higher satisfaction with the device (p = 0.008). We found no association between frequency of use and baseline cough peak flow (CPF), bulbar impairment, non-invasive ventilation use, living environment, or supervised administration.

Regular home MI-E use was associated with greater symptom burden and overall satisfaction with the device and was not influenced by baseline CPF. Patients without substantial bronchorrhea might not use the MI-E regularly but might still need to use the device at home during acute events. Therefore, familiarity with the MI-E via appropriate and repeated practical training is crucial.