Table 1.
Patients' characteristics
| Patient | Age (years) | Sex | Weight (kg) | CPAP (cmH2O) | PaO2/FiO2 (mmHg) | PaCO2 (mmHg) | pH | RR (breaths/minute) | Cause of ARF |
| 1 | 51 | Female | 110 | 7.5 | 290 | 70 | 7.25 | 25 | Acute exacerbation of COPD |
| 2 | 78 | Male | 90 | 7.5 | 274 | 63 | 7.28 | 22 | Acute exacerbation of COPD |
| 3 | 63 | Male | 80 | 5 | 230 | 65 | 7.27 | 30 | Acute exacerbation of COPD |
| 4 | 77 | Female | 70 | 5 | 170 | 29 | 7.44 | 25 | CHF |
| 5 | 64 | Male | 95 | 5 | 216 | 37 | 7.38 | 25 | Pneumonia |
| 6 | 74 | Female | 75 | 5 | 170 | 38 | 7.45 | 24 | Pneumonia |
| 7 | 47 | Male | 90 | 10 | 155 | 34 | 7.51 | 25 | Pneumonia |
| 8 | 79 | Female | 70 | 10 | 142 | 39 | 7.45 | 20 | CHF |
| 9 | 72 | Female | 70 | 10 | 225 | 41 | 7.47 | 25 | CHF |
| Mean ± SD | 67.2 ± 11.8 | 4 males/5 females | 83.3 ± 13.9 | 7.2 ± 2.3 | 209 ± 52 | 46.2 ± 15.3 | 7.39 ± 0.1 | 24.5 ± 2.7 | |
ARF, acute respiratory failure; CHF, congestive heart failure; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; FiO2, inspired oxygen fraction; PaO2, partial arterial pressure of oxygen; RR, respiratory rate; SD, standard deviation.