Active not recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

HomeVent ( Connect) Registry: EU COPD Home NIV Registry

This study, called HomeVent (Connect), is looking into how a special breathing machine called Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) helps people in the UK with a serious lung condition called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD makes it hard to breathe, and NIV can improve breathing and quality of life. The study aims to understand how widely NIV is used at home, how well people use it, and if it can reduce hospital visits. Researchers are particularly interested in how remote monitoring, where doctors can check on the breathing machine from a distance, might help. By gathering this information, they hope to improve care for people with COPD.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Sponsor

ResMed

Enrolment target

169

Start

01 Jul 2016

Estimated completion

01 Jun 2025

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

What is this study about?

This study, called the HomeVent (Connect) Registry, is about understanding a special kind of breathing support called Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) for people living with a long-term lung condition called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD makes it difficult to breathe because the airways in the lungs are damaged. NIV is a treatment that uses a mask worn over the face to help push air into the lungs, making breathing easier. We already know that NIV can be very helpful for people with COPD who are in hospital with severe breathing problems, and it can also improve how long people live and their quality of life if they have ongoing breathing issues.

Because NIV works well, doctors expect more people with COPD to use it at home. However, we don't fully understand how many people with COPD might benefit from home NIV, or how they use it over time. Currently, there isn't much information about whether using NIV at home can prevent hospital stays from sudden worsening of COPD. This study aims to fill these gaps in our knowledge. Researchers are particularly interested in whether remote monitoring – where the breathing machine sends information directly to the care team – can help spot problems early, improve how well people stick to their treatment, and ultimately reduce hospital visits.

By gathering information on how NIV is used in real life across several European countries, including the UK, this study hopes to provide valuable insights. The goal is to better understand who benefits most from NIV, how to improve its use, and how remote monitoring might make a difference. This information could lead to better care and fewer hospital trips for people with COPD, making a big positive impact on their lives.

Key takeaways

This study evaluates home breathing support (NIV) for severe COPD.
It aims to understand NIV use and its impact on hospital stays.
Remote monitoring of NIV devices is a key area of interest.
Participation involves sharing routine medical and device data, not changing care.
The findings could lead to better care for people with COPD.

Who may be eligible?

To be considered for this study, you generally need to be an adult (18 years or older) with a confirmed diagnosis of COPD. Your doctor would have decided that home Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) treatment is suitable for you, following standard medical guidelines. This means you would be using a specific type of NIV device that has a remote monitoring feature, and you would need to be comfortable with this remote monitoring.

An important part of joining is that you should either be starting NIV treatment in the study period or have started it very recently (within 7 days). You shouldn't already be using NIV for a long time. It's also vital that you are able to understand what the study involves, particularly about how your information will be used, and be willing to give your permission for this.

You would not be able to join if you are receiving invasive ventilation (a different, more intensive type of breathing support), or if you have another life-threatening illness that is expected to shorten your life to less than 12 months (apart from your COPD). The decision to prescribe your NIV treatment remains completely with your own doctor, and this study does not influence that decision.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Do you have COPD?
Has your doctor recently prescribed home NIV or are you about to start it?
Are you using an NIV machine with a remote monitoring feature?
Are you able to understand and agree to your medical data being used for research?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you are eligible and agree to take part, the study will mainly involve collecting information about your health and how you use your home breathing machine (NIV). This data will come from your routine medical care and the remote monitoring system on your NIV device. You won't have any extra doctor's visits, medical tests, or changes to your medication specifically for this study. Your usual healthcare team will continue to manage your COPD and NIV treatment as they normally would. The study will just collect information that is already being generated as part of your regular care, particularly focusing on how often you use your NIV and if you have any hospital stays. The total duration of your participation will depend on how long you use your NIV machine and how long the study continues to collect data.

Potential risks and benefits

While there aren't direct medical benefits from taking part in this observational study, your contribution could help doctors better understand the most effective ways to use home breathing support (NIV) for people with COPD in the future. This could improve care for others. There are very few direct risks, as the study only collects information from your existing medical records and remote monitoring – it doesn't change your medical care. The main consideration is that your medical and device usage data will be used for research. Your study site will explain how your information will be kept private and used only for scientific purposes. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (4)

Universitätsklinikum Aachen
Verified postcode
Aachen, Germany
Clemenshospital
Verified postcode
Münster, Germany
Marienkrankenhaus gGmbH
Verified postcode
Soest, Germany
Kliniken der Stadt Köln
Verified postcode
Cologne, Germany

Common questions

What is COPD?

COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, a common lung condition that makes it difficult to breathe.

What is NIV?

NIV (Non-Invasive Ventilation) is a type of breathing support that uses a mask to help push air into your lungs, making it easier to breathe.

Will my treatment change if I join this study?

No, your medical care and NIV treatment will not change because of this study. The study only collects information from your routine care.

What is remote monitoring?

Remote monitoring means your NIV machine sends information about its use directly to your healthcare team, so they can check how you're doing from a distance.

Is my personal information safe?

Yes, any information collected will be handled carefully and privately according to strict rules and only used for scientific research, as explained by your study site.