Critical care medicine
-
Critical care medicine · Oct 1997
Meta AnalysisEffect of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation on mortality in patients admitted with acute respiratory failure: a meta-analysis.
To critically appraise and summarize the trials examining the addition of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation to standard therapy on hospital mortality and need for endotracheal intubation in patients admitted with acute respiratory failure. ⋯ The addition of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation to standard therapy in patients with acute respiratory failure improves survival and decreases the need for endotracheal intubation. However, this effect is restricted to patients whose cause of acute respiratory failure is an exacerbation of COPD. Further research is warranted to determine whether noninvasive positive pressure ventilation confers benefit in patients without COPD who have acute respiratory failure.