Prediction of Noninvasive Ventilation Failure in a Mixed Population Visiting the Emergency Department in a Tertiary Care Center in India

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is an established first-line treatment of acute respiratory failure both in emergency departments (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU) settings. It is however not always successful. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective, observational study was done among patients above 18 years presenting with acute respiratory failure initiated on NIV. Patients were placed in one of two groups covering successful NIV treatment and NIV failure. Two groups were compared on four variables: initial respiratory rate (RR), initial high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), PaO(2)/FiO(2) ratio (p/f ratio), and heart rate, acidosis, consciousness, oxygenation, and respiratory rate (HACOR) score at the end of 1 hour of initiation of NIV. RESULTS: A total of 104 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in the study, of which 55 (52.88%) were exclusively treated with NIV (NIV success group), and 49 (47.11%) required endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation (NIV failure group). Noninvasive ventilation failure group had a higher mean initial RR compared with NIV success group (40.65 ± 3.88 vs 31.98 ± 3.15, p <0.001). Mean initial PaO(2)/FiO(2) ratio was also significantly lower in the NIV failure group (184.57 ± 50.33 vs 277.29 ± 34.70, p <0.001). Odds ratio for successful NIV treatment with a high initial RR was 0.503 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.390–0.649) and with a higher initial PaO(2)/FiO(2) ratio was 1.053 (95% CI: 1.032–1.071 and with a HACOR score of >5 at the end of 1 hour of initiation of NIV was highly associated with NIV failure (p <0.001). A high initial level of hs-CRP was 0.949 (95% CI: 0.927–0.970). CONCLUSION: Noninvasive ventilation failure could be predicted with information available at presentation in ED, and unnecessary delay in endotracheal intubation could possibly be prevented. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Mathen PG, Kumar KPG, Mohan N, Sreekrishnan TP, Nair SB, Krishnan AK, et al. Prediction of Noninvasive Ventilation Failure in a Mixed Population Visiting the Emergency Department in a Tertiary Care Center in India. Indian J Crit Care Med 2022;26(10):1115–1119.