Baseline characteristics of 190 patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) treated with non-invasive ventilation (NIV)
| Characteristics | Number ±SD (or %)* |
|---|---|
| SD, standard deviation; IQR, interquartile range; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CPE, cardiogenic pulmonary oedema. | |
| *Unless stated otherwise. | |
| †Others: pleural effusion (4), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (2), postoperative pulmonary failure (6), lung cancer (4), pulmonary embolism (4), cardiogenic shock (2), septic shock (2), hemophthisis (1), and multiple myeloma (1). | |
| Mean age ±SD (years) | 72.2±12.9 |
| Number (%) female | 93 (48.9%) |
| Clinical parameters on admission: | |
| Mean APACHE II score on admission (n = 191 trials) | 18.9±5.9 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg): mean ±SD | 138.1±32.1 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg): mean ±SD | 82.1 ±17.2 |
| Heart rate (bpm): mean ±SD | 103.9±21.1 |
| Respiratory rate (bpm): mean ±SD | 33±9 |
| Mental status, number (%) of patients (n = 199 trials) | |
| Alert | 137 (68.8%) |
| Slightly decreased level of consciousness | 47 (23.6%) |
| Severely decreased level of consciousness | 15 (7.5%) |
| Median basal arterial blood gas value (IQR) | |
| pH | |
| All patients (180/200 trials) | 7.27 (7.20–7.34) |
| Hypercapnic patients (143/144 trials) | 7.26 (7.18–7.30) |
| Non-hypercapnic patients (37/37 trials) | 7.39 (7.32–7.44) |
| PaCO2 mmHg | |
| All patients (181/200 trials) | 64 (47.4–75.6) |
| Hypercapnic patients (144/144 trials)) | 70 (57–78) |
| Non-hypercapnic patients (37/37 trials) | 37 (32.8–41) |
| PaO2 mmHg | |
| All patients (178/200 trials) | 57.4 (46–72) |
| Hypercapnic patients (141/144 trials) | 57 (46–72) |
| Non-hypercapnic patients (37/37 trials) | 60 (48–69.4) |
| PaO2/FiO2 | |
| Non-hypercapnic patients (17/37 trials) | 193 (115–223) |
| Patients coming from | |
| Emergency room | 157 (78.5%) |
| Medical ward | 26 (13%) |
| Surgical ward | 17 (8.5%) |
| Clinical indication to NIV, number (and %) of trials | |
| CPE | 70 (35%) |
| COPD exacerbation | 39 (19.5%) |
| CPE and COPD exacerbation | 11 (5.5%) |
| Pneumonia and COPD exacerbation | 21 (10.5%) |
| Pneumonia | 27 (13.5%) |
| Obesity/hypoventilation decompensation | 6 (3%) |
| Others† | 26 (13%) |