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Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Published on: April 7, 2021
Long-term survival according to ventilation mode in acute respiratory failure secondary to chronic obstructive
Johan Berkius1, Josefin Sundh, Lennart Nilholm
1Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Västervik Hospital, Västervik, Sweden. johanb@ltkalmar.se
Purpose:
The aim of the study was to investigate 5-year survival stratified by mechanical ventilation modality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients treated in the ICU.
Materials And Methods:
Prospective, observational study of COPD patients with acute respiratory failure admitted to 9 multidisciplinary ICUs in Sweden. Characteristics on admission, including illness severity scores and the first blood gas, and survival were analyzed stratified by ventilation modality (noninvasive [NIV] vs invasive mechanical ventilation).
Results:
Ninety-three patients, mean age of 70.6 (SD, 9.6) years, were included. Sixteen patients were intubated immediately, whereas 77 were started on NIV. Patients who were started on NIV had a lower median body mass index (BMI) (21.9 vs 27.0; P < .01) and were younger compared to those who were intubated immediately (median age, 70 vs 74.5 years; P < .05). There were no differences in the initial blood gas results between the groups. Long-term survival was greater in patients with NIV (P < .05, log rank). The effect of NIV on survival remained after including age, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, and BMI in a multivariate Cox regression model (NIV hazard ratio, 0.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.21-0.92). Fifteen patients with failed NIV were intubated and mechanically ventilated. Long-term survival in patients with failed NIV was not significantly different from patients who were intubated immediately.
Conclusion:
The short-term survival benefit of NIV previously found in randomized controlled trials still applies after 5 years of observation.
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