198 Locke Pccgr
198.1 Summary
- PCCGR Aug 12, 2025: Update on Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure Care at Intermountain
- Agenda
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure:
- π΄ππππππ πΊππππππππππ π½ππππππππππ πΉ(ππ’π πππ πΆππππππ‘π¦, πΆπππ‘πππ ππ‘ππππππ‘π¦, π ππ πππππ‘πππ¦ ππ¦π π‘ππ πΏππππ )
- Goal PaCO2
- PAO2 FiO2 (PB-47)β(PaCO2/R) ο O2 17.8 mmHg lower at 4500ft
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure management is a large, tractable, & neglected problem
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure is Common
198.2 Slide outline
198.2.1 Slide 1
- PCCGR Aug 12, 2025: Update on Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure Care at Intermountain
- Brian W Locke MD MSCI
- Assistant Professor
- Shock Trauma ICU and Schmidt Chest Clinic
- Pulmonary and Critical Care, Intermountain Medical Center
- COI: Mountain Biometrics (time-series machine learning on continuous sensor data)
- Funding for this work:
- American Thoracic Society Academic Sleep Pulmonary Integrated Research/Clinical Fellowship
- NIH NHLBI T32 University of Utah PCCM
- Intermountain Fund PCCM Seed Grant: Follow-Up Needs after Discharge with Hypercapnia (FUND-Hypercapnia)
- Partial support for datasets within the Utah Population Database provided by the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) & HCI Cancer Center Support grant P30 CA2014 from the National Cancer Institute
- Notebook on Hypercap. R.F. ### Slide 2
- Agenda
- 01
- The problem: Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure Managementβ¦π€·ββοΈ
- 02
- Intermountain Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure Research Agenda
- 03
- Intermountain Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure Clinical Agenda
- 04
- New National Coverage Determinations for DME ### Slide 3
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure:
- Hypercapnia is a finding; Failure indicates failed homeostasis
- Finding: Hypercapnia PaCO2 β₯ expected range
- 45 mmHg (at sea level); 41-42 mmHg in SLC
- Threshold based on abnormality (like FEV1), not consequence (like blood pressure)
- Failure: a syndrome (pattern of signs/symptoms)
- βFailureβ implies failed homeostasis β an imbalance between VCO2 and Va
- Not explainable by metabolic alkalosis (respiratory success)
- Thereβs no operational definition beyond hypercapnia ### Slide 4
- π΄ππππππ πΊππππππππππ π½ππππππππππ πΉ(ππ’π πππ πΆππππππ‘π¦, πΆπππ‘πππ ππ‘ππππππ‘π¦, π ππ πππππ‘πππ¦ ππ¦π π‘ππ πΏππππ )
- πΉπππππππ π½ππππππππππ βππππ‘ππππ‘πππ πππ π‘ππ+ πππ π π’π πππππ’ππ‘πππ ππ πΆπ2πππΆπ2 ππππππ‘β
- Demand and Supply
- Demand depends on VΜCOβ, Vd/Vt, target PaCOβ;
- Supply depends on muscle capacity, mechanics, control stability, loads.
- Supply-Demand mismatch respiratory failure ### Slide 5
- π΄ππππππ πΊππππππππππ π½ππππππππππ πΉ(ππ’π πππ πΆππππππ‘π¦, πΆπππ‘πππ ππ‘ππππππ‘π¦, π ππ πππππ‘πππ¦ ππ¦π π‘ππ πΏππππ )
- Variable
- Vd
- VCO2
- Goal PaCO2
- Pathophys.
- Deadspace Fraction
- Met. Rate & Resp Quot.
- Compen-sation
- Examples
- PE, Parenchymal Lung, Anatomic
- Overdose,
- Overfeeding, Obesity
- Met. Acidosis/Alkalosis
- πΉπππππππ π½ππππππππππ βππππ‘ππππ‘πππ πππ π‘ππ+ πππ π π’π πππππ’ππ‘πππ ππ πΆπ2πππΆπ2 ππππππ‘β ### Slide 6
- π΄ππππππ πΊππππππππππ π½ππππππππππ πΉ(ππ’π πππ πΆππππππ‘π¦, πΆπππ‘πππ ππ‘ππππππ‘π¦, π ππ πππππ‘πππ¦ ππ¦π π‘ππ πΏππππ )
- Variable
- Vd
- VCO2
- Goal PaCO2
- Muscle Capacity
- Control Stability
- Respiratory System Loads
- Pathophys.
- Deadspace Fraction
- Met. Rate & Resp Quot.
- Compen-sation
- Strength, Mech Advantage
- Chemoreflex & breath generator
- Resistive,
- Elastic,
- Threshold/Inertial
- Examples
- PE, Parenchymal Lung, Anatomic
- Overdose,
- Overfeeding, Obesity
- Met. Acidosis/Alkalosis
- NMD, COPD, Pleural Dz
- Opiates,
- Sleep
- COPD, CHF, OHS
- πΉπππππππ π½ππππππππππ βππππ‘ππππ‘πππ πππ π‘ππ+ πππ π π’π πππππ’ππ‘πππ ππ πΆπ2πππΆπ2 ππππππ‘β ### Slide 7
- π΄ππππππ πΊππππππππππ π½ππππππππππ πΉ(ππ’π πππ πΆππππππ‘π¦, πΆπππ‘πππ ππ‘ππππππ‘π¦, π ππ πππππ‘πππ¦ ππ¦π π‘ππ πΏππππ )
- Variable
- Vd
- VCO2
- Goal PaCO2
- Muscle Capacity
- Control Stability
- Respiratory System Loads
- Pathophys.
- Deadspace Fraction
- Met. Rate & Resp Quot.
- Compen-sation
- Strength, Mech Advantage
- Chemoreflex & breath generator
- Resistive,
- Elastic,
- Threshold/Inertial
- Examples
- PE, Parenchymal Lung, Anatomic
- Overdose,
- Overfeeding, Obesity
- Met. Acidosis/Alkalosis
- NMD, COPD, Pleural Dz
- Opiates,
- Sleep
- COPD, CHF, OHS
- πΉπππππππ π½ππππππππππ βππππ‘ππππ‘πππ πππ π‘ππ+ πππ π π’π πππππ’ππ‘πππ ππ πΆπ2πππΆπ2 ππππππ‘β
- Req.
- Max.
- Ventilatory frailty endotypes
- Baseline Req Max
- Predisposed to β Req
- Predisposed to β Max ### Slide 8
- Goal PaCO2
- πΉπππππππ π½ππππππππππ βππππ‘ππππ‘πππ πππ π‘ππ+ πππ π π’π πππππ’ππ‘πππ ππ πΆπ2πππΆπ2 ππππππ‘β
- Q: Why is the goal PaCO2 roughly 40 mmHg, and not higher?
- pH can be maintained at any PaCO2 with a certain HCO3-
- The process of adaptation is poorly understood⦠likely relates to the cost of less oxygen buffer vs. costs of breathing
- Persistent severe hypercapnia is only possible since supp O2
- Coma in polio (1952) was βcerebreliaβ - thought to be viral encephalitis β actually discovered to be hypercapnic RF. ### Slide 9
- PAO2 FiO2 (PB-47)β(PaCO2/R) ο O2 17.8 mmHg lower at 4500ft
- Hypercapnia in SLC
- SpO2 is routinely obtained in clinical practice, PaCO2 (or TcCO2) is not
- SLC ο earlier identification ### Slide 10
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure management is a large, tractable, & neglected problem ### Slide 11
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure is Common
- Population-standardized period prevalence of PaCO2 β₯ 45 mmHg (excluding iatrogenic causes):
- 150 per 100,000 person/year
- Reference: Decompensated Cirrhosis 94.9 (US, 2017) per 100,000 person-year ### Slide 12
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure is Common
- Denver VA. 277 consec admits BMI β₯ 35, all received ABG β 31% PaCO2 β₯ 42 mmHg
- Ascertainment
- Population-standardized period prevalence of PaCO2 β₯ 45 mmHg (excluding iatrogenic causes):
- 150 per 100,000 person/year
- Reference: Decompensated Cirrhosis 94.9 (US, 2017) per 100,000 person-year ### Slide 13
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure is Common
- Table 2
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- Any ICD, Period Prevalence (n)
- 4064
- 4104
- 4520
- 4728
- Cases per 100,000 (Utah pop.)
- 133.5
- 132.2
- 143.3
- 147.6 ### Slide 14
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure is Common
- Ascertainment
- βThe Consistency of Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure Case Definitions in Electronic Health Record Dataβ, Locke β¦. Peltan, Brown, CHEST (2025)
- Table 2
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- Any ICD, Period Prevalence (n)
- 4064
- 4104
- 4520
- 4728
- Cases per 100,000 (Utah pop.)
- 133.5
- 132.2
- 143.3
- 147.6 ### Slide 15
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure is Prognostically Important
- Inpatient ICD code for Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure @ U of VT
- 23% 30d readmission rate
- Same as CHF, more than MI
- Usually (66%) with recurrent hypercapnia ### Slide 16
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure is Prognostically Important
- De-identified, patient-level data
- Federated Health Record Data
- 80 US Healthcare Orgs
- Dx code: Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure in 2022 (n29,009)
- Age (years)
- 64 (Β±15)
- Arterial PCO2
- 55.1 (Β±19.5)
- Serum Bicarbonate (measured)
- 27.1 (Β±7.4)
- Died (1 month)
- 13% (3,876)
- Died (2 months)
- 21% (6,089)
- Month of Death
- 1 (0,2)
- Months to death or censoring
- 9 (2,13)
- EHR-recorded death
- 30% (8,725)
- Decompensated Cirrhosis
- TriNetX database ### Slide 17
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure is Prognostically Important
- AIM-HIGH (Artificial Intelligence for Modifiable Health Indicators in Groups with High needs). w/
- David Hedges, PhD
- Rylan Fowers, PhD
- Sam Brown, MD MSc ### Slide 18
- Therapeutic options exist: ### Slide 19
- Therapeutic options exist:
- Overall, OSA is identified in ICU patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure at a roughly 5-fold higher rate (63%β88% [4 studies]) when sleep testing is performed compared to when cliniciansβ assessment
- of the cause is used (12%, 1 study). ### Slide 20
- TODO: No text extracted from this slide. ### Slide 21
- Why a CRF subspecialty (now)?
- Rationale:
- ~300 HMV providers in U.S.
- Shared therapeutic paradigms between causes (e.g. NIV, weight loss)
- Distinct Skillset (vent management)
- Structured care processes (e.g. DME needs, RT support, home monitoring) ### Slide 22
- Holes in the post-discharge hypercapnic respiratory failure evidence base stymy effective care ### Slide 23
- Two problems:
- Patients in real life often have multiple contributing causes for their hypercapnia
- All Recognized Cases
- (Multifactorial Causes,
- Relapsing-Recurrent)
- ???
- Chronic βCO2 COPD
- Obesity Hypovent
- ALS ### Slide 24
- Two problems:
- Hypercapnic respiratory failure often precedes diagnosis of the causative disease
- Outpatient Diagnosis
- Disease Worsens or exacerbates
- Hypercapnic Resp. Failure
- Stabilized
- No established Diagnosis
- Presentation with hypercapnia
- Stabilized; outpt. workup ordered
- Initial outpt. management?
- Management as per guideline
- Transition in care
- Reliable? ### Slide 25
- Low diagnostic testing rates
- Testing for most common causes of hypercapnia (e.g. spirometry, sleep testing) occurs after hospitalization.
- Diagnostics require special resources, referrals, and high patient engagement; barriers may reduce workup completion rates.
- Workup should, presumably, include tests for the commonest causes.
- Identified Hypercapnia
- Appropriate diagnostic testing
- Β± Qualification for treatments
- Effective management ### Slide 26
- Utah All Payor Claims and Health Facilities Databases
- All hospitalizations (90 % commercially-insured, β 70 % other care from β15-β19
- Inpatient & Emergency Encounters with Hypercapnic Resp. Failure ICD-10-CM
- COβ-PATH (Post-Acute Trajectories of Hypercapnia) Cohort ### Slide 27
- Post-discharge workflow:
- Discharge after Hypercapnia
- Discharging Provider Prescribes HMV
- DME Company Receives Order
- Discharging Provider Refers to PDNs
- DME Company Sends RT for Setup
- Discharging Provider orders Sleep Referral
- DME RT educates family
- Scheduled with Pulm Provider
- In-lab PSG ordered
- PFTs before provider visit
- PSG Completed
- Discuss with Sleep provider
- Discuss with Pulm provider
- Many(!) opportunities for pathway to de-rail ### Slide 28
- Clinical Implications β Ongoing Research Efforts:
- Current burden of disease and health system performance needs further benchmarking
- Patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure by ICD, ABG, VBG β testing, emergency care, and mortality rates across the state (COβ-PATH Cohort)
- Risk-based, rather than diagnosis-based, referral method likely optimal to allow expedited workup and empiric management when needed
- Testing needs; qualification criteria; early post-discharge coordination.
- Risk stratification (cost, utilization) of patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure who receive care at Intermountain via Select Health (AIM-HIGH) ### Slide 29
- Chronic Resp. Failure @ Schmidt: capacity and referral gates
- Three referral streams:
- High-risk post-discharge (via PDNs)
- Internal clinic referrals/comgmt potential NIV starts
- Neuromuscular disorders clinic
- Additional potential sources:
- PMR, post-acute facilities, Re-triage from Sleep.
- Tele pulmonary / Remote?
- Referral criteria? (~500 ICD; 4000 blood gas yearly system-wide)
- How to refer: iCentra/Epic message (Brian Locke) or brian.locke@imail.org
- 50ish patients managed.
- PDNs: Claire Davies and Megan Hepworth
- ~1 clinic per week & addβn PDN visits ### Slide 30
- 64F w/ BMI 38, βCOPDββ no testing. Readmit. Tx for βPNa/AECOPD/CHFβ PaCO2 95. HCO3- 38. What device can we get? ### Slide 31
- Devices for home non-invasive ventilation:
- Respiratory Assist Devices (RAD)
- Home Mechanical Ventilator (HMV)
- HCPCS code E470 (spontaneous) or E0471 (backup rate)
- HCPCS code E0465, E0466, E0467
- BPAP, BPAP-ST, VAPS
- Add: Adjustable EPAP (AVAPS-AE), mouthpiece vent, HFNO, trach vent.
- Pressure max ~25-30 cmH2O
- Pressure max ~50-60 cmH2O
- Requires outlet
- Battery power
- Remote setting adjustment
- No remote setting adjustment
- E.g. Aircurve ST, Aircurve STA, Luna G3
- Trilogy (EVO), Astral , Vivo, Luisa, VOCSN
- Rent-to-own
- Rent
- No home support
- Home RT support
- Mean IPAP in contemporary COPD trials mid 20s. ### Slide 32
- Prior National Coverage Determination: RADs ### Slide 33
- New NCD for RADs
- NMD: No change
- βCOPDβ Outpatient
- βCOPDβ on Discharge
- Chronic Respiratory Failure Dx [βCOPDβ includes all non OSA hypercap]. No PFTs required
- Acute on Chronic Respiratory Failure Dx. No PFTs required
- PaCO2 β₯ 52 mmHg 2+ weeks after hosp or without exac of symptoms
- document full settings of RAD use within 24h of discharge
- Sleep apnea is not the sole cause. No PSG or ONO required.
- RAD needed to avoid symptoms or rapid PaCO2 rise
- Q6month Continued Usage Criteria: confirm medically necessary, avg 5h/24hr usage, and any of improved (CO2, exacerbations, symptoms) ### Slide 34
- Prior National Coverage Determination: HMVs
- Patient has a NMD, Thoracic Restrictive Disease, or Chronic Respiratory Failure from COPD
- Where βthe condition is life-threatening where interruption of respiratory support would quickly lead to serious harm or death.β
- Unlike RADs, no definitions of medical conditions or what constitutes life-threatening were given ### Slide 35
- New NCS for HMVs
- βCOPDβ Outpatient
- βCOPDβ on Discharge
- Qualify for RAD + 1 of:
- Acute on Chronic Respiratory Failure Dx with PaCO2 52 mmHg
- Need volume targeted mode
- IPAP must be over 20 cmH2o
- Failure of RAD to improve symptoms, CO2, or exacerbations
- HMV needed to avoid symptoms or rapid PaCO2 rise
- βcapabilities exceed RADβ (e.g. vol targeted)
- Need FiO2 > 36% (~4L)
- 8+ hr/day use
- Need battery
- document full settings of HMV use within 24h of discharge
- Q6month Continued Usage Criteria: confirm medically necessary, avg 5h/24hr usage, and any of improved (CO2, exacerbations, symptoms) ### Slide 36
- With research support from:
- The Intermountain Foundation
- ATS ASPIRE Fellowship
- NIH/NHLBI T32 University of Utah PCCM
- Partial support for all datasets within the Utah Population Database provided by:
- U of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI)
- HCI Cancer Center Support grant P30 CA2014 from the National Cancer Institute
- Clinical Support from
- PDNs (Claire Davies and Megan Hepworth)
- Schmidt Chest Clinic
- Intermountain Health:
- Ithan Peltan, MD MSc
- Sam Brown, MD MSc
- Select Health:
- Rylan Fowers, PhD
- David Hedges, PhD
- Utah Population Database:
- Myke Madsen, MStat
- Marie Gibson, CCRP
- University of Utah:
- Ram Gouripeddi, MBBS MSc
- Jeanette Brown MD PhD
- Joseph Finkelstein MD PhD
- University of California, Davis:
- Krishna Sundar, MD
- Contact: brian.locke@imail.org or EHR message
- Notebook LM on Hypercap. R.F.
198.3 Learning objectives
- PCCGR Aug 12, 2025: Update on Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure Care at Intermountain
- Agenda
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure:
- π΄ππππππ πΊππππππππππ π½ππππππππππ πΉ(ππ’π πππ πΆππππππ‘π¦, πΆπππ‘πππ ππ‘ππππππ‘π¦, π ππ πππππ‘πππ¦ ππ¦π π‘ππ πΏππππ )
- Goal PaCO2
198.4 Bottom line / summary
- PCCGR Aug 12, 2025: Update on Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure Care at Intermountain
- Agenda
- Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure:
- π΄ππππππ πΊππππππππππ π½ππππππππππ πΉ(ππ’π πππ πΆππππππ‘π¦, πΆπππ‘πππ ππ‘ππππππ‘π¦, π ππ πππππ‘πππ¦ ππ¦π π‘ππ πΏππππ )
- Goal PaCO2
198.5 Approach
- TODO: Outline the initial assessment or decision point.
- TODO: Outline the next diagnostic or management step.
- TODO: Outline follow-up or escalation criteria.
198.6 Red flags / when to escalate
- TODO: List red flags that require urgent escalation.
198.7 Common pitfalls
- TODO: Capture common errors or missed steps.
198.8 References
TODO: Add landmark references or guideline citations.