Success in using non-invasive mechanical ventilation is predicted by patient pathophysiology. A retrospective review...

To determine the effect of patient pathophysiology on the success or failure of noninvasive mechanical ventilation as determined by the need for subsequent endotracheal intubation.

Center-based, retrospective case analysis of all patients placed on non-invasive mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory distress.

Retrospective chart review was performed on patients who were treated with non-invasive mechanical ventilation from 1/94-6/97. Patients were divided into those with rapidly reversible disease processes (RRDP), and those with non rapidly reversible disease processes (NRRP). The proportion of patients requiring subsequent intubation in each group was compared. There were 116 patients with RRDP and 83 patients with NRRD. In the RRDP group, 85.8 percent (95 percent confidence interval 80.9-90.7 percent) of patients did not require intubation. In the NRRP group, 35.7 percent (95 percent C.I. 29.0-42.4 percent) did not require intubation (X2 analysis, p < .001). Multivariate analysis identified patient pathophysiology as the only variable associated with subsequent intubation.

Patient pathophysiology based upon their expected clinical course can be used to predict the success of non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV). Patients with NRRD, such as pneumonia, myocardial infarct and sepsis, are much more likely to fail non-invasive mechanical ventilation and require subsequent endotracheal intubation.