A Real-World Evidence Study Assessing the Impact of Adding the Aerobika Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure Device to Standard of Care Upon Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs in Post-Operative Patients

Abstract

Introduction The aim of this real-world study was to measure the benefit of the Aerobika oscillating positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) device when added to standard of care (defined as incentive spirometry [IS]) for post-operative patients. Methods Adults aged ≥ 18 years who were hospitalized for cardiac, thoracic or upper abdominal surgery between 1 September 2013 and 30 April 2017 were identified from IQVIA’s Hospital Charge Detail Master (CDM) database; the index date was the date of the first hospitalization for surgery. The control cohort (IS) included patients who had ≥ 1 CDM record within 12 months prior to the index date and ≥ 1 record after discharge, evidence of IS use during index hospitalization and no evidence of use of a PEP or OPEP device at any time during the study period. The Aerobika OPEP cohort was selected in a similar manner, except that patients were required to have evidence of Aerobika OPEP use during the index hospitalization. Aerobika OPEP patients were 1:1 matched to IS patients using propensity score (PS) matching. Hospital readmissions and costs were measured at 30 days post-discharge from the index hospitalization. Results After PS matching, 144 patients were included in each cohort. At 30 days post-discharge, compared to the control (IS) cohort there were significantly fewer patients in the Aerobika OPEP cohort with ≥ 1 all-cause re-hospitalizations (13.9 vs. 22.9%; p = 0.042). The patients in the Aerobika OPEP cohort also had a shorter mean length of stay (± standard deviation) (1.25 ± 4.04 vs. 2.60 ± 8.24 days; p = 0.047) and lower total unadjusted mean all-cause cost per patient ($3670 ± $13,894 vs. $13,775 ± $84,238; p = 0.057). Adjusted analyses suggested that hospitalization costs were 80% lower for the Aerobika OPEP cohort versus the IS cohort (p = 0.001). Conclusion Our results suggest that the addition of the Aerobika OPEP device to standard of care (IS) is beneficial in the post-operative setting. Funding Trudell Medical International.

4-week daily airway clearance using oscillating positive-end expiratory pressureversusautogenic drainage in bronchiectasis patients: a randomised controlled trial

“… Scores presented as median (interquartile range) unless otherwise stated. Domains of the quality of life questionnaire for bronchiectasis (QoL-B) [ 21 ] were scored on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best) and compared between baseline and end-of-study visits. QoL: quality of life; AD: autogenic drainage; oPEP: oscillating positive expiratory pressure.…”

“…Aerobika (Trudell Medical International, London, Ontario, Canada) [ 19 ] is an oscillating positive expiratory pressure (oPEP) device, developed for mobilisation and clearance of secretions in people with suppurative lung diseases. It has been tested and found safe and effective in chronic bronchitis [ 20 , 21 ]. Autogenic drainage (AD) is a method of airway clearance that aims to propel secretions by controlling the depth of a patient's breathing effort, from low, medium and high breathing volumes, gradually, followed by huffing and expectoration of mucus that finally reaches the larynx [ 22 , 23 ].…”

Non-Pharmaceutical Techniques for Obstructive Airway Clearance Focusing on the Role of Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure (OPEP): A Narrative Review

“…More recently, Burudpakdee et al extended their approach by assessing the impact of adding the Aerobika* OPEP device to the standard of care on healthcare resource utilization and costs in US-based post-operative patients related to a cardiac, thoracic, or upper abdominal surgical procedure undertaken between 1 September 2013 and 30 April 2017 [96]. The same proprietary source as used for the previous investigation [95] was evaluated to obtain the data pool.…”

“…COPD patient outcomes (n = 144 patients) within 30 days post-discharge from US hospitals comparing OPEP therapy with current standard-of-care (from Burudpakdee et al[96])…”