Study Design
This study is a 10-year multi-centred retrospective review of all children who initiated long-term NIV in the province of Alberta, Canada, from January 2005 to December 2014, with patients followed until December 2015. Data were collected from the medical charts and sleep laboratory records of children at the Stollery Children’s Hospital (Edmonton) and the Alberta Children’s Hospital (Calgary). These two NIV programs provided care for the majority, if not all, of children using NIV in the province and the surrounding catchment area. The study was approved by the respective Health Research Ethics Boards at participating institutions.