Telehealth spirometry for children with cystic fibrosis

Abstract

AimWe assessed the feasibility of telehealth spirometry assessments for children with cystic fibrosis (CF) living in a regional setting.MethodPatients with acceptable computer hardware at home were provided with a SpiroUSB (Vyaire) spirometer. Spirometry was performed during ‘home admissions’ or for ongoing home monitoring in children living outside metropolitan Melbourne. At the end of the session, the family forwarded the data to the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne.ResultsTwenty-two patients aged 7 to 17 years participated, with spirometry successful in 55 of 59 (93%) attempted sessions according to American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society criteria. The median distance between the subject’s home and the hospital was 238 km (range 62–537 km) which equated to a travel time saving of 5 hours and 34 min per hospital visit.ConclusionHome-based telehealth spirometry is feasible in children with CF and can support the CF team during home-based admissions and for ongoing outpatient monitoring.