Clinical Outcomes of Acute Respiratory Failure Associated With Noninvasive and Invasive Ventilation in a Pediatric ICU

BACKGROUND:

It remains unknown if pediatric patients failing initial noninvasive ventilation (NIV) experience worse clinical outcomes than those successfully treated with NIV or those primarily intubated.

METHODS:

This was a single-center, retrospective review of patients admitted with acute respiratory failure to the University of Michigan pediatric intensive care or cardiothoracic ICUs and receiving NIV or invasive mechanical ventilation as first-line therapy.

RESULTS:

One hundred seventy subjects met inclusion criteria and were enrolled: 65 NIV success, 55 NIV failure, and 50 invasive mechanical ventilation alone. Of those failing NIV, median time to intubation was 1.8 (interquartile range [IQR] < 1–7) h. On multivariable regression, ICU-free days were significantly different between groups (NIV success: 22.9 ± 6.9 d; NIV failure: 13.0 ± 6.6 d; invasive ventilation: 12.5 ± 6.9 d; P < .001 across all groups). Multivariable regression revealed no difference in ventilator-free days between NIV failure and invasive ventilation groups (15.4 ± 10.1 d vs 15.9 ± 9.7 d, P = .71). Of 64 subjects (37.6%) meeting Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference pediatric ARDS criteria, only 14% were successfully treated with NIV. Ventilator-free days were similar between the NIV failure and invasive ventilation groups (11.6 vs 13.2 d, P = .47). On multivariable analysis, ICU-free days were significantly different across pediatric ARDS groups (P < .001): NIV success: 20.8 + 31.7 d; NIV failure: 8.3 + 23.8 d; invasive alone: 8.9 + 23.9 d, yet no significant difference in ventilator-free days between those with NIV failure versus invasive alone (11.6 vs 13.2 d, P = .47).

CONCLUSIONS:

We demonstrated that critically ill pediatric subjects unsuccessfully trialed on NIV did not experience increased ICU length of stay or fewer ventilator-free days when compared to those on invasive mechanical ventilation alone, including in the pediatric ARDS subgroup. Our findings are predicated on a median time to intubation of < 2 h in the NIV failure group and the provision of adequate monitoring while on NIV.