Non-invasive ventilation in a university hospital intensive care unit: aspects related to success and failure

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to describe the aspects of success and failure of the use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a university hospital. This is a prospective observational study that included 75 patients, with 58.3±18.8 years as the mean age. Of these, 12 required the use of NIV more than once, for 92 uses in total. Among these, the success rate was 60.9% (56). The failure group had more males (p=0.006) and a higher number of patients diagnosed with extrapulmonary infection (p=0.012). No differences were found between success and failure groups for the variables mode, model, mask, total length of stay and reasons for NIV installation. In the failure group, inspiratory positive airways pressure (Ipap) and flow volume (FV) were higher (p=0.029 and p=0.011, respectively). Peripheral oxygen saturation (p=0.047), pH (p=0.004), base excess (p=0.006) and bicarbonate (p=0.013) presented lower values. This study concluded that male individuals diagnosed with extrapulmonary infection and whose picture evolved with metabolic acidosis evolved with more failure in NIV use. These patients required higher Ipap and FV parameters.