Table 1 Children’s Characteristics and Type of Ventilation

Male/Female

165/150

60/57

χ² = 0.041; p = 0.8392

 - Northern Italy

8/307

0/117

χ² = 0. 3.02; p = 0.08223

 - Central Italy

180/135

72/45

χ² = 0.6766; p = 0.4108

 - Southern Italy

124/191

45/11

χ² = 0.02918; p = 0.8644

 - Outside Italy

3/312

0/117

χ² = 1.119; p = 0.2915

Age at start of LTV (years)

6.4 (1.2–12.8)

2.1 (0.8–7.8)

p = 0.0001

Age at December 31, 2017 (years)

12.5 (7–16)

9 (5–15)

p = 0.0298

 - NMDs

χ² = 0.417; p = 0.5185

 - Upper airway diseases

χ² = 45.681; p < 0,0001

 - Lower airway diseases

χ² = 2.902; p = 0.0884

 - CNS diseases

χ² = 20.323; p < 0.0001

 - Abnormal ventilatory control

χ² = 2.860; p = 0.0908

 - Other

χ² = 3.202: p = 0.0736

Hours/day spent under mechanical ventilation (< 12/≥12)

285/30

49/68

χ² = 114.604, p < 0.0001

Home health care (yes/no)

52/263

107/10

χ² = 205.542, p < 0.0001