| Methods |
Design: Prospective, randomized, crossover.
Method of randomization: not stated |
| Participants |
Eligible: 25
Randomized: 20 Completed: 19
Majors exclusions: pneumothorax, severe respiratory failure or haemodynamic instability, with high probability of imminent intubation, hypoxaemia requiring an inspired oxygen fraction >0.3, impaired consciousness.
Patients with severe COPD (FEV1=0.83) after initial stabilization. |
| Interventions |
Setting:Medical intensive care unit, university tertiary care center.
Interventions: Noninvasive pressure support ventilation was administered: 45 min with air:oxygen or helium:oxygen (70:30). |
| Outcomes |
Outcomes included were: dyspnea, respiratory rate, tidal volume, peak inspiratory flow, minute ventilation, inspiratory time, respiratory cycle duration, pH, alveolo‐arterial O2 difference, PaO2, PaCO2, systemic arterial pressure, and heart rate. |
| Notes |
|
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Allocation concealment? |
Unclear risk |
Information not available |
