High-flow oxygen through nasal cannula in acute hypoxemic respiratory failure

BACKGROUND: Whether noninvasive ventilation should be administered in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure is debated. Therapy with high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula may offer an alternative in patients with hypoxemia. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, open-label trial in which we randomly assigned patients without hypercapnia who had acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and a ratio of the partial pressure of arterial oxygen to the fraction of inspired oxygen of 300 mm Hg or less to high-flow oxygen therapy, standard oxygen therapy delivered through a face mask, or noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients intubated at day 28; secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality in the intensive care unit and at 90 days and the number of ventilator-free days at day 28. RESULTS: A total of 310 patients were included in the analyses. The intubation rate (primary outcome) was 38% (40 of 106 patients) in the high-flow-oxygen group, 47% (44 of 94) in the standard group, and 50% (55 of 110) in the noninvasive-ventilation group (P = 0.18 for all comparisons). The number of ventilator-free days at day 28 was significantly higher in the high-flow-oxygen group (24±8 days, vs. 22±10 in the standard-oxygen group and 19±12 in the noninvasive-ventilation group; P = 0.02 for all comparisons). The hazard ratio for death at 90 days was 2.01 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 3.99) with standard oxygen versus high-flow oxygen (P = 0.046) and 2.50 (95% CI, 1.31 to 4.78) with noninvasive ventilation versus high-flow oxygen (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with nonhypercapnic acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, treatment with high-flow oxygen, standard oxygen, or noninvasive ventilation did not result in significantly different intubation rates. There was a significant difference in favor of high-flow oxygen in 90-day mortality. (Funded by the Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique Interrégional 2010 of the French Ministry of Health; FLORALI ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01320384.

CT Imaging Assessment of Response to Treatment in Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis in Adults With Bronchial Asthma

International audienceBackgroundOne of the major challenges in managing allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) remains consistent and reproducible assessment of response to treatment.Research questionWhat are the most relevant changes in computed tomography (CT-scan) parameters over time for assessing response to treatment?Study Design and MethodsIn this ancillary study of a randomized clinical trial (NEBULAMB), asthmatic patients with available CT-scan and without exacerbation during a 4-month ABPA exacerbation treatment period (corticosteroids and itraconazole) were included. Changed CT-scan parameters were assessed by systematic analyses of CT-scan findings at initiation (M0) and end of treatment (M4). CT-scans were assessed by two radiologists blinded to the clinical data. Radiological parameters were determined by selecting those showing significant changes over time. Improvement of at least one, without worsening of the others, defined the radiological response. Agreement between radiological changes, clinical and immunologic responses was likewise investigated.ResultsAmong the 139 originally randomized patients, 132 were included. We identified 5 CT-scan parameters showing significant changes at M4: mucoid impaction extent, mucoid impaction density, centrilobular micronodules, consolidation/ground-glass opacities and bronchial wall thickening (P<0.05). These changes were only weakly associated with one another, except for mucoid impaction extent and density. No agreement was observed between clinical or immunologic and radiological responses, assessed as an overall response, or considering each of the parameters (Cohen’s κ, -0.01 to 0.24).InterpretationChanges in extent and density of mucoid impactions, centrilobular micronodules, consolidation/ground-glass opacities and thickening of the bronchial walls were found to be the most relevant CT-scan parameters to assess radiological response to treatment. A clinical, immunologic and radiological multidimensional approach should be adopted to assess outcomes, probably with a composite definition of response to treatment