A pilot study of short‐term hemodynamic effects of negative pressure ventilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessed using electrical cardiometry

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary rehabilitation combined with negative pressure ventilation (NPV) demonstrated benefits in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The effect of NPV remains unknown. This study aims to clarify the short‐term response of the hemodynamic outcome of NPV in patients with COPD undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation program by electrical cardiometry. METHODS: This is an observational retrospective study of COPD patients who had been treated in a pulmonary rehabilitation unit with NPV between January 2018 and December 2019 that were enrolled to analyze the hemodynamic outcomes. RESULTS: Thirty patients with COPD that were undergoing a pulmonary rehabilitation program and were regularly receiving NPV were enrolled. Cardiac output (p < .001) and heart rate (p < .001) showed a significant decrease after NPV. Stroke volume did not demonstrate significant change (p = .15). There was a significant decrease in thoracic fluid content (p = .016) and a significant increase in stroke volume variation (p = .038) systemic vascular resistance (p < .001) and left ventricular ejection time (p < .001). Other hemodynamic parameters were all comparable before and after NPV. CONCLUSIONS: Negative pressure ventilation demonstrated an impact on hemodynamics in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation. Electrical cardiometry is a feasible method of determining the hemodynamic effects of negative pressure ventilation. Thoracic fluid content significantly decreased immediately after the NPV.