Wean early leave early: Apt strategy for weaning from non-invasive ventilation

Weaning protocols from Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) are scant. We set out to study a protocol that was different from the British Thoracic Society protocol and lay down a weaning protocol from NIV in patients with Acute acidotic hypercapnic respiratory failure (AAHRF).

Patients admitted with AAHRF and treated with NIV (baseline pH<7.35, PaCO2 >45 mmHg, and not requiring intubation) at a tertiary care teaching hospital, after taking into consideration the inclusion and the exclusion criteria were randomised in to one of the two group of weaning form NIV and serial ABGs were monitored.

The primary outcome of the study shows that there was no significant differences in the success rates of weaning from NIV in both the arms. The secondary outcome shows a few factors such as age, gender, SAPS2 score having an effect on the determination of weaning failure.

Our study showed that both weaning by duration reduction and pressure reduction had equal success rates but a point on noting the SAPS II score on admission and the age of a particular patient will help decide on weaning initiation.CTRI/2019/12/022560 [Registered on: 30/12/2019].