NCT03944525.

Study name	High‐flow air via nasal cannula versus non‐invasive continuous positive airway pressure ventilation support for hypercapnic respiratory failure the HIGH‐for‐HYPER study
Methods	RCT, parallel‐group design. Single‐centre study
Participants	Estimated number of participants: 62 Setting: ICU beds within Emergency Department, Austria Inclusion criteria: age > 18; treated at the Emergency Department; acute hypercapnic respiratory failure defined as a PaCO2 > 50 mmHg and a pH < 7.30 on admission Exclusion criteria: comatose on admission; no intact airway; lack of airway‐protective reflexes; not alert enough to follow commands; patients intubated by Emergency Medical Service; patients requiring intubation on admission; pregnant women
Interventions	Intervention group (HFNC): flow = 60 L/min; FiO2 titrated to clinical need Control group (NIV): CPAP; face mask; PEEP = 5 cm H2O; FiO2 titrated to clinical need Both therapies were continued until PCO2 level of ≤ 50 mmHg reached, therapy aborted due to intolerance, or indication for intubation
Outcomes	All outcomes measured: change in PCO2; frequency of therapy failure (intubation); patient's perception of therapy; rate of adverse events; time to PCO2 ≤ 50 mmHg; length of stay in the ED; admission to ICU; admission to regular ward; length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; hospital re‐admission within 30 days Outcomes relevant to this review: change in PCO2; frequency of therapy failure (intubation); patient's perception of therapy; rate of adverse events; length of hospital stay; length of ICU stay
Starting date	9th May 2019
Contact information	Verena Fuhrmann, verena.fuhrmann@meduniwien.ac.at
Notes	This study was carried out in an Emergency Department with in‐department ICU beds where the intervention was given. We decided to include this study for this reason.