It is now possible to deliver high flows of air, optimally humidified to 37 °C , 44 mg/L using a Optiflow™ nasal cannula. This new therapy provides significant benefit for chronic respiratory patients by improving mucociliary clearance and increasing compliance, due to the greater level of comfort associated with nasal delivery.

PATIENT NEEDS AND OPTIMAL OUTCOMES

In key patient groups, such as those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchiectasis, maintaining clear, unobstructed airways can be difficult due to the volume and thickness of secretions that are generated within the lungs. A compromised mucociliary clearance system further impedes the patient’s ability to clear secretions. The velocity of mucus transport in a COPD patient may be less than 1 mm per minute, compared to 10 mm per minute in a healthy adult.³
Video microscopy of ovine tissue has indicated that delivery of heated and humidified air at body core temperature, and saturated, improves mucus transport velocity in the trachea. This effect was also investigated by Hasani et al.,¹ who found that in bronchiectatic patients treated with humidification therapy for only three hours per day, mucociliary clearance increased by 15%. The improvement in mucociliary clearance can be seen in the graph below.
Most importantly, the use of Humidity Therapy demonstrates real improvements in patient outcomes. Preliminary results from a long-term study into Humidity Therapy with 109 patients with COPD or bronchiectasis suggest improvements in exacerbation frequency, lung function, and quality of life.²
Humidity Therapy can provide significant benefit to patients in both the hospital and home environments.
_{Mean tracheobronchial aerosol retention graph showing the clearance of inhaled labeled particles (radioaerosols) from the lung. Improvement in clearance is indicated by the smaller area under the curve post treatment.}

BENEFITS OF HUMIDITY THERAPY WITH OPTIMAL HUMIDITY
PATIENT	CLINICIAN
May reduce exacerbations	Re-admissions due to exacerbations may be reduced
May improve quality of life for chronic patients	Easier chest physiotherapy, enabling expectoration
Patients may find coughing and expectoration easier	Secretions can be more easily managed

<sub>1. Hasani A, Chapman TH, McCool D, Smith RE, Dilworth JP, Agnew JE. Domiciliary humidification improves lung mucociliary clearance in patients with bronchiectasis. Chron Respir Dis 2008; 5(2):81-6.
2. Rea H, McAuley S, Jayaram L, Donnell K. Home-based humidification therapy for patients with COPD or brochiectasis. American Thoracic Society Meeting 2006.
3. Goodman R, Yergin B, Landa J, Golivanux M, Sackner M. Relationship of smoking history and pulmonary function tests to tracheal mucous velocity in nonsmokers, young smokers, ex-smokers and patients with chronic bronchitis.
Am Rev Respir Dis 1978; 117(2):205-14.</sub>