Vapotherm HVNI pilot study shows promise

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Vapotherm, Inc. announced the early results of a pilot study comparing high velocity nasal insufflation (HVNI) and Standard Nasal oxygen therapy. The company’s products are used to treat patients of all ages suffering from respiratory distress.

Vapotherm presented its investigator-initiated clinical trial, “High Flow Humidified Oxygen as an Early Intervention in Children With Acute Severe Asthma: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial” at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2023. The study was conducted through the Brighton and Sussex Clinical Trial Unit at University Hospitals, Sussex, England, under the direction of Hector Rojas-Anaya, PhD, and Paul Seddon, MD.

According to the study, children who presented to the emergency department with acute, severe, asthma exacerbations and who did not respond to initial pharmacologic treatment were randomized to either HVNI or standard nasal oxygen therapy. Of the group, 86% (19/22) of children treated with standard oxygen required escalation of therapy, while only 61% (17/28) of children treated with HVNI needed further escalation. In addition, children treated with HVNI met hospital discharge criteria in a median time of 29 hours, compared to a median time of 37 hours for those treated with standard oxygen.

“Any time a child with severe asthma can get well faster and avoid more invasive care, it is a victory. We are excited and proud that our technology was utilized in this study and in the care of these children,” said Jessica Whittle, MD, PhD, Vapotherm’s chief medical officer.

Almost 5 million children in the U.S., and 1 million children in the U.K. have asthma, according to the CDC and NHS. The annual cost for asthma is estimated to be $56 billion according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Studies of acute asthma and other emergent conditions are limited, in part, by the challenge of obtaining informed consent. This study demonstrated the feasibility of pediatric emergency studies using coordinated care and delayed informed consent.

“These numbers show that we have an enormous opportunity to help children all over world breathe better and have better lives with our technology,” said Vapotherm CEO Joe Army.

Vapotherm high velocity therapy is mask-free, non-invasive respiratory support and is a front-line tool for relieving respiratory distress—including hypercapnia, hypoxemia and dyspnea. It allows for the fast, safe treatment of undifferentiated respiratory distress with one tool. The HVT 2.0 and Precision Flow systems’ mask-free interface delivers optimally conditioned breathing gases, making it comfortable for patients and reducing the risks and care complexities associated with mask therapies. While being treated, patients can talk, eat, drink and take oral medication.

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