Summary
Anita Simonds is a Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at Royal Brompton Hospital, and Professsor of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at NHLI, with a research and clinical interest in sleep disordered breathing, and acute and chronic respiratory failure in adults and children. She has investigated the physiological basis of breathing difficulties during sleep and carried out trials of ventilatory support in a range of conditions.
Research projects have demonstrated that non-invasive ventilation extends survival in restrictive chest wall and neuromuscular conditions, especially Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Prof Simonds' team have performed randomised controlled trials of the timing of initiation of non-invasive ventilation, and of a variety of ventilatory modes. This work has contributed to numerous clinical guidelines and standards of care.
Having demonstrated that sleep disordered breathing is common in heart failure patients, the sleep research team is now exploring the effects of nocturnal adaptive servo-ventilation on survival and cardiac outcomes as part of a European multicentre trial jointly with Professor Martin Cowie. The team is also carrying out an NIHR CLAHRC funded trial of telemonitoring in respiratory and heart failure patients, and a trial of an autotitrating non-invasive ventilator.
Together with Prof M Morrell, she is examining the impact of obstructive sleep apnoea on cognitive and neuroanatomical function, and the ability of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy to reverse any decrements.
Prof Simonds has been awarded the Margaret Pfrommer medal for clinical and research contribution to Long Term Mechanical Ventilation, by American College of Chest Physicians. The Margaret Pfrommer memorial lecture was published in the journal Chest.
She is also a supporter of the Royal Brompton Arts Charity, bringing music and visual arts to Royal Brompton patients and staff.
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Simonds AK, 2022, How Many More Nights? Diagnosing and Classifying Obstructive Sleep Apnea Using Multinight Home Studies, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol:205, ISSN:1073-449X, Pages:491-492
Winslow RL, Zhou J, Windle EF, et al., 2022, SARS-CoV-2 environmental contamination from hospitalised patients with COVID-19 receiving aerosol-generating procedures, Thorax, Vol:77, ISSN:0040-6376, Pages:259-267
Perkins GD, Ji C, Connolly BA, et al., 2022, Effect of Noninvasive Respiratory Strategies on Intubation or Mortality Among Patients With Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure and COVID-19 The RECOVERY-RS Randomized Clinical Trial, JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol:327, ISSN:0098-7484, Pages:546-558
Rajesh S, Wonderling D, Simonds AK, 2021, Obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome and obesity hyperventilation syndrome in over 16s: summary of NICE guidance, British Medical Journal, Vol:375, ISSN:0959-535X
Simonds AK, 2017, The Road Not Taken: Missed Opportunities in Managing Acute Exacerbations of Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol:196, ISSN:1073-449X, Pages:124-125
Brill A-K, Moghal M, Morrell MJ, et al., 2017, Randomized crossover trial of a pressure sensing visual feedback system to improve mask fitting in noninvasive ventilation., Respirology, Vol:22, Pages:1343-1349
Simonds AK, 2016, Home Mechanical Ventilation: An Overview, Annals of the American Thoracic Society, ISSN:2329-6933
Cowie MR, Wegscheider K, Teschler H, 2016, Adaptive Servo-Ventilation for Central Sleep Apnea in Heart Failure Reply, New England Journal of Medicine, Vol:374, ISSN:0028-4793, Pages:690-691
Cowie MR, Woehrle H, Wegscheider K, et al., 2015, Adaptive servo-ventilation for central sleep apnea in heart failure, New England Journal of Medicine, Vol:373, ISSN:1533-4406, Pages:1095-1105
Chatwin M, Tan HL, Bush A, et al., 2015, Long term non-invasive ventilation in children: impact on survival and transition to adult care., PLOS One, Vol:10, ISSN:1932-6203, Pages:e0125839-e0125839
Kelly JL, Jaye J, Pickersgill RE, et al., 2014, Randomized trial of 'intelligent' autotitrating ventilation versus standard pressure support non-invasive ventilation: Impact on adherence and physiological outcomes, Respirology, Vol:19, ISSN:1323-7799, Pages:596-603
Simonds AK, 2013, Palliating breathlessness in patients with advanced cancer, Lancet Oncology, Vol:14, ISSN:1470-2045, Pages:181-182
Hull J, Aniapravan R, Chan E, et al., 2012, British Thoracic Society guideline for respiratory management of children with neuromuscular weakness, Thorax, Vol:67, ISSN:0040-6376, Pages:1-40
Palange P, Noel J-LC, Simonds AK, 2011, The European Respiratory Society: future directions in medical education, European Respiratory Journal, Vol:38, ISSN:0903-1936, Pages:498-499
Chatwin M, Bush A, Simonds AK, 2011, Outcome of goal-directed non-invasive ventilation and mechanical insufflation/exsufflation in spinal muscular atrophy type I., Arch Dis Child, Vol:96, ISSN:1468-2044, Pages:426-432
Simonds AK, Hanak A, Chatwin M, et al., 2010, Evaluation of droplet dispersion during non-invasive ventilation, oxygen therapy, nebuliser treatment and chest physiotherapy in clinical practice: implications for management of pandemic influenza and other airborne infections, Health Technology Assessment, Vol:14, ISSN:1366-5278, Pages:131-+
Twigg GL, Papaioannou I, Jackson M, et al., 2010, Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Is Associated with Deficits in Verbal but Not Visual Memory, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Vol:182, ISSN:1073-449X, Pages:98-103
Jaye J, Chatwin M, Dayer M, et al., 2009, Autotitrating <i>versus</i> standard noninvasive ventilation: a randomised crossover trial, European Respiratory Journal, Vol:33, ISSN:0903-1936, Pages:566-573
Simonds AK, 2009, Lives on the line? Ethics and practicalities of duty of care in pandemics and disasters, Eur Respir J, Vol:34, Pages:303-309