IMPORTANCE – Implications of Positive Airway Pressure and Home Mechanical Ventilation: Towards optimal patient Care

About IMPORTANCE

The IMPORTANCE (IMplications of Positive Airway Pressure and Home Mechanical Ventilation: TowArds optimal patieNt CarE) Clinical Research Collaboration (CRC) was launched by the European Respiratory Society (ERS) in 2024.

The rise in patients receiving home positive airway pressure (PAP) or home mechanical ventilation (HMV) is attributed to factors like increasing obesity rates, growing evidence supporting HMV efficacy, improved tools for sleep-disordered breathing detection, and better access to diagnostic services. This surge highlights the need to adapt practices to maintain high-quality care amidst resource shortages. While hospital-based services are transitioning to ambulatory or home-based care with new technologies, there’s a lack of uniformity in approach. To understand these evolving practices, ensure quality care, utilise new technologies, and address research priorities, this CRC aims to establish the first international Clinical Research Collaboration focused on PAP/HMV.

Specific aims

The CRC IMPORTANCE aims specifically to:

• Increase the knowledge of the burden of sleep disordered breathing/chronic respiratory failure.
• Get insight into clinical practice of the application of PAP/HMV.
• Get insight into the use and effectiveness of new technologies to diagnose, treat, and monitor these patients effectively, both in the hospital and at home.
• Get insight into preferences of patients, caregivers, and other stakeholders.

Operational aspects

To achieve the above-mentioned aims, three work packages are being composed with the following objectives:

• WP1: Assessment of global variations in the prevalence and impact of the disease burden, as well as the management of patients requiring PAP/HMV. This includes examining the utilisation of new technologies for diagnosis, treatment, and patient monitoring.
• WP2: Evaluation of how the differences in the management of patients requiring PAP/HMV, along with the utilisation of modern diagnostic and therapeutic technologies, will impact the patient outcomes.
• WP3: Harmonisation of patient management for diagnostics, by including the use of new technology.

Stakeholders

The CRC IMPORTANCE is composed of the CRC Chairs, experts in clinical research, Early Career Members, and patient representatives. Collaboration is foreseen with various providers and manufacturers of ventilators, as they play a significant role in the project.

Contact

If you are interested in more information on the CRC IMPORTANCE or would like to join the network, please contact scientific@ersnet.org.