Impact on Mortality of a Strategy Including Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Plus High Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy Versus High Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy Alone in Patients With de Novo Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure: a Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial.

De novo hypoxemic acute respiratory failure (hARF) is one of the main causes of intensive care unit (ICU) admission. In de novo hARF, intubation is associated with a dramatic increase in mortality rate. Compared to standard oxygen, the use of high-flow oxygen nasal cannula (HFNC) might be beneficial to prevent intubation and mortality, although the results of trials and meta-analyses are conflicting. Even with HFNC, the intubation rate remains high. This is the reason why adjunctive therapies, administered in addition to HFNC are needed. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is one of these adjunctive therapies. CPAP provides high level of positive end-expiratory pressure that ensures lung recruitment, but without adding inspiratory pressure support, which prevents ventilator induced lung injury. In addition, as opposed to pressure support, CPAP is well tolerated during long periods of time. Therefore, applying CPAP in addition to HFNC may reduce intubation rate and in turn mortality rate. The present trial will evaluate the impact on mortality of a strategy including continuous positive airway pressure plus high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy versus high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy alone in patients with de novo acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: a Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial