Out-of-Hospital Non-Invasive Ventilation for Patients With Acute Respiratory Failure

Single center, prospective, randomized, intention-to-treat clinical trial. The study has been performed within a two tier EMS system of a major city. Prehospital emergency physicians are on scene in every patient enrolled to the study. Patients with acute respiratory failure (SaO2 \< 90%, respiratory rate \> 20/min) were enrolled to the study using envelopes for randomisation for either "conventional" (O2 + medication) or "NIV." Vital signs have been documented as well as venous blood gases have been taken every 10 minutes after treatment has been started. Primary endpoints are 28-day mortality, hospital-, ICU- and respirator-days, SAPS, SOFA II and complications. Secondary endpoints are out-of-hospital incidence of invasive ventilation, effect on SpO2, CO2, respiratory rate, heart rate and blood pressure.