Noninvasive Ventilation Use in Critically Ill Patients with Acute Asthma Exacerbations.

Rationale: Noninvasive ventilation decreases the need for invasive mechanical ventilation and mortality among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but has not been well studied in asthma.

Objectives

To assess the association between noninvasive ventilation and subsequent need for invasive mechanical ventilation and in-hospital mortality among patients admitted with asthma exacerbation to the ICU.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study using administrative data collected during 2010-2017 from 682 hospitals in the United States. Outcomes included receipt of invasive mechanical ventilation and in-hospital mortality. Generalized estimating equations, propensity-matched models, and marginal structural models were used to assess the association between noninvasive ventilation and outcomes.Measurements and Main

Results

The study population included 53,654 participants with asthma exacerbation. During the study period, 13,540 patients received noninvasive ventilation (25.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 24.9-25.6%), 14,498 underwent invasive mechanical ventilation (27.0%; 95% CI, 26.7-27.4%), and 1,291 died (2.4%; 95% CI, 2.3-2.5%). Among those receiving noninvasive ventilation, 3,013 patients (22.3%; 95% CI, 21.6-23.0%) required invasive mechanical ventilation after first receiving noninvasive ventilation, 136 of whom died (4.5%; 95% CI, 3.8-5.3%). Across all models, the use of noninvasive ventilation was associated with a lower odds of receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (adjusted generalized estimating equation odds ratio, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.32-0.40) and in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 0.48; 95% CI 0.40-0.58). Those who received noninvasive ventilation before invasive mechanical ventilation were more likely to have comorbid pneumonia and severe sepsis.

Conclusions

Noninvasive ventilation use during asthma exacerbation was associated with improved outcomes but should be used cautiously with acute comorbid conditions.