Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current issue
    • Past issues
    • Early releases
    • Collections
    • Sections
    • Blog
    • Infographics & illustrations
    • Podcasts
    • COVID-19 Articles
    • Obituary notices
  • Authors & Reviewers
    • Overview for authors
    • Submission guidelines
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Forms
    • Editorial process
    • Editorial policies
    • Peer review process
    • Publication fees
    • Reprint requests
    • Open access
    • Patient engagement
  • Members & Subscribers
    • Benefits for CMA Members
    • CPD Credits for Members
    • Subscribe to CMAJ Print
    • Subscription Prices
    • Obituary notices
  • Alerts
    • Email alerts
    • RSS
  • JAMC
    • À propos
    • Numéro en cours
    • Archives
    • Sections
    • Abonnement
    • Alertes
    • Trousse média 2023
    • Avis de décès
  • CMAJ JOURNALS
    • CMAJ Open
    • CJS
    • JAMC
    • JPN

User menu

Search

  • Advanced search
CMAJ
  • CMAJ JOURNALS
    • CMAJ Open
    • CJS
    • JAMC
    • JPN
CMAJ

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current issue
    • Past issues
    • Early releases
    • Collections
    • Sections
    • Blog
    • Infographics & illustrations
    • Podcasts
    • COVID-19 Articles
    • Obituary notices
  • Authors & Reviewers
    • Overview for authors
    • Submission guidelines
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Forms
    • Editorial process
    • Editorial policies
    • Peer review process
    • Publication fees
    • Reprint requests
    • Open access
    • Patient engagement
  • Members & Subscribers
    • Benefits for CMA Members
    • CPD Credits for Members
    • Subscribe to CMAJ Print
    • Subscription Prices
    • Obituary notices
  • Alerts
    • Email alerts
    • RSS
  • JAMC
    • À propos
    • Numéro en cours
    • Archives
    • Sections
    • Abonnement
    • Alertes
    • Trousse média 2023
    • Avis de décès
  • Visit CMAJ on Facebook
  • Follow CMAJ on Twitter
  • Follow CMAJ on Pinterest
  • Follow CMAJ on Youtube
  • Follow CMAJ on Instagram
Research

Noninvasive ventilation as a weaning strategy for mechanical ventilation in adults with respiratory failure: a Cochrane systematic review

Karen E.A. Burns, Maureen O. Meade, Azra Premji and Neill K.J. Adhikari
CMAJ February 18, 2014 186 (3) E112-E122; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.130974
Karen E.A. Burns
Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care and the University of Toronto and the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Burns, Adhikari), Toronto, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Meade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (Premji), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; Department of Critical Care Medicine and Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Adhikari), Toronto, Ont.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: burnsk@smh.ca
Maureen O. Meade
Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care and the University of Toronto and the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Burns, Adhikari), Toronto, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Meade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (Premji), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; Department of Critical Care Medicine and Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Adhikari), Toronto, Ont.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Azra Premji
Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care and the University of Toronto and the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Burns, Adhikari), Toronto, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Meade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (Premji), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; Department of Critical Care Medicine and Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Adhikari), Toronto, Ont.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Neill K.J. Adhikari
Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care and the University of Toronto and the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Burns, Adhikari), Toronto, Ont.; Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Meade), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.; Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (Premji), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; Department of Critical Care Medicine and Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (Adhikari), Toronto, Ont.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Tables
  • Related Content
  • Responses
  • Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Background: Noninvasive ventilation has been studied as a means of reducing complications among patients being weaned from invasive mechanical ventilation. We sought to summarize evidence comparing noninvasive and invasive weaning and their effects on mortality.

Methods: We identified relevant randomized and quasirandomized trials through searches of databases, conference proceedings and grey literature. We included trials comparing extubation and immediate application of noninvasive ventilation with continued invasive weaning in adults on mechanical ventilation. Two reviewers each independently screened citations, assessed trial quality and abstracted data. Our primary outcome was mortality.

Results: We identified 16 trials involving 994 participants, most of whom had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Compared with invasive weaning, noninvasive weaning significantly reduced mortality (risk ratio [RR] 0.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.36 to 0.80), weaning failures (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.96), ventilator-associated pneumonia (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.43), length of stay in the intensive care unit (mean difference [MD] −5.59 d, 95% CI −7.90 to −3.28) and in hospital (MD −6.04 d, 95% CI −9.22 to −2.87), and total duration of mechanical ventilation (MD −5.64 d, 95% CI −9.50 to −1.77). Noninvasive weaning had no significant effect on the duration of ventilation related to weaning, but significantly reduced rates of tracheostomy (RR 0.19, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.47) and reintubation (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.97). Mortality benefits were significantly greater in trials enrolling patients with COPD than in trials enrolling mixed patient populations (RR 0.36 [95% CI 0.24 to 0.56] v. RR 0.81 [95% CI 0.47 to 1.40]).

Interpretation: Noninvasive weaning reduces rates of death and pneumonia without increasing the risk of weaning failure or reintubation. In subgroup analyses, mortality benefits were significantly greater in patients with COPD.

Patients with acute respiratory failure often require endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation to sustain life. Although it is effective, invasive ventilation is associated with complications including respiratory muscle weakness, upper airway pathology, ventilator-associated pneumonia1 and sinusitis.2 Ventilator-associated pneumonia has been associated with increased morbidity and a trend toward increased mortality.3 Consequently, minimizing the duration of invasive mechanical support without increasing the risk of adverse events is an important goal for critical care clinicians.4

Noninvasive ventilation may provide a means of reducing the duration of invasive mechanical support for patients with acute respiratory failure. Unlike invasive ventilation, noninvasive ventilation is delivered with an oronasal, nasal or total face mask, or a helmet, connected to a ventilator, and does not require an artificial airway. One can then administer oxygen, augment inhaled volume and apply extrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure to counteract intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure, similar to invasive ventilation.5 Noninvasive ventilation has been shown to augment tidal volume, reduce breathing frequency, rest the muscles of respiration and improve gas exchange.6 Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses have shown that noninvasive ventilation decreases mortality and intubation rates compared with standard medical treatment alone in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).7,8

Many patients undergo intubation when non-invasive ventilation has failed or is contraindicated. To mitigate complications associated with protracted invasive ventilation, researchers have investigated the role of noninvasive ventilation in weaning; that is, replacing invasive support with noninvasive support in patients who are ready to be weaned but not yet ready for mechanical ventilation to be removed. Because no artificial airway is used with noninvasive ventilation and the cough reflex is preserved, the risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia is reduced.9,10 Additionally, noninvasive weaning may reduce the requirement for sedation,11 decrease psychological distress12 and permit speech and oral intake.13 However, with noninvasive weaning, clinicians must anticipate drying of secretions, accept that only partial ventilatory support can be provided and forfeit a protected airway. Since its initial description as a weaning modality,14 RCTs and meta-analyses15,16 have compared noninvasive ventilation with alternative weaning strategies. A recent guideline suggested that noninvasive ventilation could be used to facilitate early liberation from mechanical ventilation in patients who have COPD at centres with expertise in its use.17 The purpose of this review was to critically appraise, summarize and update a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of noninvasive weaning compared with invasive weaning on important outcomes in light of new evidence.

Methods

Data sources and search criteria

We updated a previously conducted search of MEDLINE (January 1966 to May 2013) and Embase (January 1980 to May 2013) via OvidSP, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2012, Issue 5, 2013) without language restrictions (Appendix 1, available at www.cmaj.ca/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1503/cmaj.130974/-/DC1). Two reviewers (KB, NA) independently screened citation titles and abstracts. Two reviewers (KB, MM) updated manual searches of abstracts from conference proceedings published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Intensive Care Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and Chest from April 2009 to May 2013. We reviewed the reference lists of retrieved articles to identify potentially relevant trials, contacted authors to obtain additional information regarding study methods where needed and searched for ongoing trials at Controlled-trials.com and ClinicalTrials.gov. Ethics approval was not required for this systematic review.

Study selection

We included randomized and quasirandomized trials that enrolled adults with respiratory failure who required invasive mechanical ventilation for at least 24 hours, compared extubation with immediate application of noninvasive ventilation with continued invasive weaning and reported at least one of the following outcomes: mortality (primary outcome), ventilator-associated pneumonia, weaning failure (using authors’ definitions), length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) or hospital, total duration of ventilation, duration of ventilation related to weaning, duration of invasive ventilation, adverse events or quality of life. We excluded trials that compared noninvasive weaning with invasive weaning in the immediate postoperative setting, compared noninvasive ventilation with unassisted oxygen supplementation or investigated noninvasive ventilation after unplanned extubation.

Data extraction and quality assessment

Two authors (KB, NA), unblinded to the source of the reports, abstracted data regarding study methods (randomization, allocation concealment, completeness of follow-up, selective outcomes reporting) using a standardized form. Disagreements regarding study selection and data abstraction were resolved by consensus and arbitration with a third author (MM).

Data synthesis and statistical analysis

We pooled data across studies using random effects models. We derived summary estimates of risk ratio (RR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for binary and continuous outcomes, respectively, using Review Manager 5.1.6.18 If an outcome was reported at 2 different times, we included the more protracted measure in pooled analyses.

We evaluated the effect of statistical heterogeneity among pooled studies for each outcome using the Cochran Q statistic (threshold p < 0.10)19,20 and the I2 test21,22 with threshold values of 0%–40% (representing heterogeneity that might not be important), and 30%–60%, 50%–90%, and ≥ 75% (representing moderate, substantial or considerable heterogeneity, respectively).22 If a heterogeneity value overlapped 2 categories, we assigned it the higher rating. In sensitivity analyses, we assessed the effect of excluding quasirandomized trials on estimates of mortality and ventilator-associated pneumonia. We planned subgroup analyses to compare the effects of noninvasive weaning on mortality and weaning failure in studies including only patients with COPD with the effects seen in studies involving patients without COPD or mixed populations. In addition, we compared the effects seen in studies in which at least 50% of the participants had COPD with the effects seen in studies in which less than 50% of participants had COPD. We assessed for differences between subgroup summary estimates using the χ2 test.23 We used the GRADE (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) principles24 to assess the quality of evidence associated with specific outcomes (mortality, weaning failure, ventilator-associated pneumonia, duration of ventilation related to weaning and reintubation).

Results

Trial identification

We identified 1506 records in our updated search. Of the 961 unique records we found, we assessed 15 new articles for eligibility (Figure 1).16 Although we identified 6 additional trials from our updated search, 1 author confirmed that his trial had been aborted and never published, and 1 trial had not been consistently randomized (see Appendix 2 for a list of the excluded studies, available at www.cmaj.ca/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1503/cmaj.130974/-/DC1). Consequently, we included 4 newly identified trials in our analysis,25–28 in addition to the 12 trials included in our previous review.16

Figure 1:
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint
Figure 1:

Selection of included studies. This review represents an update of a previously conducted systematic review and meta-analysis.16

Of the 16 included trials, 2 were published only in abstract form,29,30 4 were published in Chinese,31–34 1 was a dissertation subsequently published in full,35 and one was a pilot RCT.28 We excluded 20 studies (11 identified through our updated search [Figure 1] and 9 excluded previously; Appendix 2), including 9 newly identified publications, 1 abstract and the aborted trial(Figure 1).

Of the 16 included RCTs (involving a total of 994 patients), 9 trials exclusively involved patients with COPD,26,30–37 and 7 trials25,27,28,29,38–40 included mixed or non-COPD populations (Table 1). In the trials involving mixed or non-COPD patient populations, COPD was diagnosed in about 75% of patients in 3 trials,25,38,39 in about 30% of patients in 2 trials29,40 and in more than 20% of patients in 1 trial;27 COPD was an exclusion criterion in 1 trial.28 Patients were considered difficult to wean in 2 trials25,38 and had persistent weaning failures in 1 trial.39 Four trials32–34,37 included patients with COPD whose respiratory failure was due to pulmonary infection. The 2 reviewers achieved complete agreement on study selection.

View this table:
  • View inline
  • View popup
Table 1:

Populations and interventions in studies of noninvasive ventilation in adults with critical illness

Quality assessment

Overall, the quality of the included trials was moderate to good (Tables 2 and 3). In most of the trials, allocation to the treatment group was by random assignment, with 1 quasirandomized trial allocating patients according to order of hospital admission.31 We judged allocation concealment to be adequate in 8 trials,25–30,36,39 unclear in 7 trials32–35,37,38,40 and inadequate in 1 quasirandomized trial.31 In 2 trials,32,34 denominators were not provided in binary outcomes to ensure complete reporting. The possibility of selective outcomes reporting was not excluded in 1 trial31 that reported clinically important outcomes, but did not specify primary and secondary outcomes. Another trial39 did not report weaning outcomes in the full publication, but did report them in a previously published abstract; the authors affirmed that they had not continued to collect these data (Appendix 3, available at www.cmaj.ca/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1503/cmaj.130974/-/DC1).

View this table:
  • View inline
  • View popup
Table 2:

Risk of bias in the included trials

View this table:
  • View inline
  • View popup
Table 3:

Summary estimates of effect of noninvasive ventilation in adults with critical illness

Primary outcome

All of the trials provided mortality data, which was reported at 30, 60 and 90 days,27,35,36,38,39 at discharge from the ICU25,28 or hospital26,28,30,33,34,37,38,40 or at an undefined time.29,31,32 There was strong evidence that noninvasive weaning reduced mortality (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.80; 994 patients) with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 37%; p = 0.07) (Figure 2 and Appendix 4, available at www.cmaj.ca/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1503/cmaj.130974/-/DC1).

Figure 2:
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint
Figure 2:

Effect of noninvasive weaning on mortality. CI = confidence interval, COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, CRGNMV = Collaborating Research Group for Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation, RR = risk ratio.

Secondary outcomes

Eight trials involving 605 patients, using variable definitions, reported the proportion of patients successfully weaned.25–30,36,38 The pooled data showed a significant reduction in the proportion of weaning failures using noninvasive weaning (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.96) with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 38%; p = 0.1) (Figure 3).

Figure 3:
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint
Figure 3:

Effect of noninvasive weaning on weaning failures. CI = confidence interval, COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, CRGNMV = Collaborating Research Group for Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation, RR = risk ratio.

Pooled data from 14 trials (involving 953 patients)25–27,30–40 that reported ventilator-associated pneumonia (for which criteria for the diagnosis were provided in 10 trials27,31–37,39,40) showed that noninvasive weaning was associated with decreased ventilator-associated pneumonia (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.43), with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 38%; p = 0.07) (Figure 4, Appendix 4).

Figure 4:
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint
Figure 4:

Effect of noninvasive weaning on ventilator associated pneumonia. CI = confidence interval, COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, CRGNMV = Collaborating Research Group for Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation, RR = risk ratio.

Noninvasive weaning significantly reduced the length of stay in both the ICU (MD −5.59 d, 95% CI −7.90 to −3.28) and the hospital (MD −6.04 d, 95% CI −9.22 to −2.87), the total duration of mechanical ventilation (MD −5.64 d, 95% CI −9.50 to −1.77) and the duration of invasive ventilation (MD −7.44 d, 95% CI −10.34 to −4.55), all with considerable heterogeneity. Non-invasive weaning had no effect on the duration of mechanical ventilation related to weaning (MD −0.25 d, 95% CI −2.06 to 1.56). None of the included studies reported on quality of life (Table 3).

Adverse events

The pooled result showed no difference in arrhythmias (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.34 to 2.34; 3 trials, 201 patients),25,35,38 but significantly lower rates of reintubation (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.97; 10 trials, 789 patients)25–29,34,37–40 and tracheostomy (RR 0.19, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.47; 7 trials, 572 patients)25–28,38–40 with variable heterogeneity (Table 3).

Sensitivity and subgroup analyses

The exclusion of a quasirandomized trial31 maintained significant reductions in mortality (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.90) and the rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia (RR 0.27, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.45), favouring noninvasive weaning.

We noted a significant difference in RR between subgroups (p = 0.02) evaluating the effect of noninvasive weaning on mortality in COPD (RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.56; 9 trials) compared with the effect in a mixed population (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.40; 7 trials). A subgroup analysis comparing trials in which at least 50% of the enrolled participants had COPD (RR 0.47, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.76; 12 trials) with trials in which less than 50% of participants had COPD (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.58; 4 trials) showed a greater reduction in mortality in the COPD-predominant trials. However, the difference was not significant (p = 0.1). The effect of noninvasive weaning on weaning failure did not differ significantly between trials involving patients with COPD or mixed populations.

Interpretation

We identified 16 trials of moderate to good quality comparing noninvasive and invasive weaning among 994 patients, most of whom had COPD. Compared with invasive weaning, noninvasive weaning significantly decreased mortality, the rates of weaning failures and ventilator-associated pneumonia, the length of stay in the ICU or hospital, the total duration of mechanical ventilation and the duration of invasive ventilation. Although noninvasive weaning had no effect on the duration of mechanical ventilation related to weaning, it significantly reduced tracheostomy and reintubation rates. Excluding a single quasirandomized trial supported the statistically significant reductions in mortality and ventilator-associated pneumonia rates favouring noninvasive weaning. Subgroup analyses suggested that the benefits of noninvasive weaning to mortality were significantly greater in trials exclusively enrolling patients with COPD than in trials enrolling mixed populations.

Most of the studies included in our review either exclusively or predominantly involved patients with COPD.25,26,30–39 Our updated review adds 4 new trials to the evidence base, including 2 large trials,25,26 1 of which exclusively enrolled patients with COPD,26 and 1 which predominantly enrolled patients with COPD.25 Patients with chronic airflow limitation may be ideally suited to noninvasive ventilation given its ability to offset respiratory muscle fatigue and tachypnea, augment tidal volume and reduce intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure. Subgroup analyses for mortality suggested noninvasive weaning conferred significantly greater benefits in patients with COPD. However, inferences from subgroup analyses may be limited by the inclusion of patients with COPD in mixed population studies and the small number of trials comparing the alternative weaning strategies in patients with other causes of respiratory failure. Whether other causes of respiratory failure are as amenable as COPD to noninvasive weaning remains to be determined.

Overall, most of the trials in this review were of moderate quality, with 3 trials evaluated to be at low risk of bias and 2 trials considered to be at high risk of bias. The methods used to identify weaning candidates varied among trials, but occurred before randomization and are unlikely to have biased the reported duration of ventilation. Conversely, unequal or inconsistent use of weaning protocols and the frequency with which periods of spontaneous breathing (noninvasive strategy) or spontaneous breathing trials (invasive strategy) were permitted after randomization varied among the included trials. Nonstandardization of weaning protocols in unblinded trials may bias estimates of the duration of ventilation. The administration of sedation may affect the duration of ventilation,41 and only 1 trial29 in our review used a sedation protocol.

Compared with our previous systematic review,16 our updated review contains 4 new trials (2 of which are large), nearly doubles the number of included patients (994 v. 530), especially those with COPD, has narrower confidence intervals around point estimates of effect and shows that noninvasive weaning reduces weaning failure and reintubation rates overall, as well as mortality in the subgroup of patients with COPD. A recent systematic review included 16 trials evaluating bilevel noninvasive ventilation and continuous positive airway pressure to wean patients on invasive ventilation, prevent respiratory failure in postoperative patients ready for extubation, or treat postextubation respiratory failure.15 Considering the population, the conclusions of that review were similar to those of ours, which included 16 trials focused on noninvasive ventilation (excluding continuous positive airway pressure) to wean patients on invasive ventilation.

Strengths and limitations

Our review was strengthened by an extensive search for relevant trials. We screened citations and abstracted data independently and in duplicate, and attempted to contact lead investigators to clarify study methods and outcomes reporting. Pooling results in a meta-analysis presupposes that the studies are sufficiently similar with respect to populations, interventions, outcome definitions and quality that one could expect a comparable underlying treatment effect. Anticipating heterogeneity across studies in pooling selected outcomes, we planned sensitivity and subgroup analyses. Furthermore, we used random-effects models, which generally give more conservative (wider) confidence intervals and consider both between-study and within-study variation. Finally, we reported our findings in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement.42 In summary estimates, we found that noninvasive weaning significantly reduced mortality, length of stay in the ICU and hospital and the total duration of mechanical ventilation. These trends are consistent with, and possibly due to, reduced rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia. However, direct access to respiratory secretions among invasively weaned patients may have resulted in enhanced detection of pneumonia. The disparate mortality (range 11.1% to 60.0%)29,30,35 and ventilator-associated pneumonia rates (6.3% to 59.1%) in the control group,38,39 the potential for detection bias in assessing ventilator-associated pneumonia, and the total numbers of deaths (173) and cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia (174), which are both below several hundred,43,44 may cause our effect estimates to be inflated and thereby limit the strengths of the inferences that can be drawn. Although estimates of the impact of heterogeneity associated with mortality, ventilator associated pneumonia and reintubation were moderate, those associated with most continuous outcomes were considerable; the estimates of impact of heterogeneity were unimportant for arrhythmia and tracheostomy rates. Recognizing that COPD may explain some of the heterogeneity we saw (Table 2 and Figure 2), we conducted additional post hoc secondary analyses for all study outcomes, comparing trials enrolling patients with COPD with those enrolling mixed patient populations (Appendix 5, available at www.cmaj.ca/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1503/cmaj.130974/-/DC1). Finally, in attempts to optimize the time to successful removal of invasive ventilation, clinicians are challenged by a trade-off between the risks associated with failed extubation and the complications associated with prolonged invasive ventilation.45 Clinicians may be reluctant to use noninvasive weaning owing to the need to surrender a protected airway, inexperience, concerns regarding the partial support provided by noninvasive ventilation, and the increased risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia if reintubation is required.45

Conclusion

Summary estimates from 16 trials suggest that noninvasive weaning reduces mortality and pneumonia without increasing the risk of weaning failure or reintubation. Moreover, in a subgroup analysis, noninvasive weaning significantly reduced mortality in studies involving patients with COPD compared with studies involving mixed populations. Our results provide the rationale to conduct a large RCT, stratified by COPD status, comparing the alternative weaning strategies. In the meantime, clinicians and centres experienced in using noninvasive ventilation, who are currently using or considering using noninvasive ventilation for weaning patients with COPD may be reassured by our results.

Acknowledgement

Karen Burns holds a Clinician Scientist (Phase 2) Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests: None declared.

  • This article has been peer reviewed.

  • This article is based on a Cochrane review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013; issue 12, DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004127.pub3

  • Contributors: Karen Burns conducted the literature searches, screened abstracts, selected studies meeting inclusion criteria, extracted data, assessed study quality, conducted risk of bias assessments, prepared initial and subsequent drafts of the manuscript, and integrated comments in to revised versions of the manuscript. Neill Adhikari screened abstracts, selected studies meeting inclusion criteria, extracted data, assessed study quality, double checked data entry, and conducted risk of bias assessments. Azra Premji retrieved study articles, aided with updating the texts of the manuscript, verified summary estimates in the manuscript. Maureen Meade provided methodologic guidance and adjudicated disagreements between reviewers. All authors revised and approved the final version of the manuscript. Karen Burns is the guarantor.

References

  1. ↵
    1. Pingleton SK
    . Complications of acute respiratory failure. Am Rev Respir Dis 1988;137:1463–93.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  2. ↵
    1. Niederman MS,
    2. Ferranti RD,
    3. Ziegler A,
    4. et al
    . Respiratory infection complicating long-term tracheostomy: the implication of persistent gram-negative tracheobronchial colonization. Chest 1984;85:39–44.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  3. ↵
    1. Heyland DK,
    2. Cook DJ,
    3. Griffith L,
    4. et al
    . The attributable morbidity and mortality of ventilator associated pneumonia in the critically ill patient. The Canadian Critical Care Trials Group. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1999;159:1249–56.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  4. ↵
    1. MacIntyre NR,
    2. Cook DJ,
    3. Ely EW,
    4. et al
    . Evidence-based guidelines for weaning and discontinuing ventilatory support. A collective task force facilitated by the American College of Chest Physicians; the American Association for Respiratory Care; and the American College of Critical Care Medicine. Chest 2001; 120(Suppl 6):375S–95S.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  5. ↵
    1. Appendini L,
    2. Patessio A,
    3. Zanaboni S,
    4. et al
    . Physiological effects of positive end expiratory pressure and mask pressure support during exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1994;149:1069–76.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  6. ↵
    1. Nava S,
    2. Ambrosino N,
    3. Rubini F,
    4. et al
    . Effect of nasal pressure support ventilation and external positive end expiratory pressure on diaphragmatic function in patients with severe stable COPD. Chest 1993;103:143–50.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  7. ↵
    1. Keenan SP,
    2. Sinuff T,
    3. Cook DJ,
    4. et al
    . Which patients with acute exacerbations of COPD benefit from noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation? A systematic review. Ann Intern Med 2003;138:861–70.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  8. ↵
    1. Peter JV,
    2. Moran JL,
    3. Phillips-Hughes J,
    4. et al
    . Noninvasive ventilation in acute respiratory failure: a meta-analysis update. Crit Care Med 2002;30:555–62.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  9. ↵
    1. Antonelli M,
    2. Conti G,
    3. Rocco M,
    4. et al
    . A comparison of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation and conventional mechanical ventilation in patients with acute respiratory failure. N Engl J Med 1998;339:429–35.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  10. ↵
    1. Nourdine K,
    2. Combes P,
    3. Carton MJ,
    4. et al
    . Does noninvasive ventilation reduce the ICU nosocomial infection risk? A prospective clinical survey. Intensive Care Med 1999;25:567–73.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  11. ↵
    1. Rathgeber J,
    2. Schorn B,
    3. Falk V,
    4. et al
    . The influence of controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV), intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV) and biphasic intermittent positive airway pressure (BIPAP) on duration of intubation and consumption of analgesics and sedatives. A prospective analysis of in 596 patients following adult cardiac surgery. Eur J Anaesthesiol 1997;14:576–82.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  12. ↵
    1. Criner GJ,
    2. Tzouanakis A,
    3. Kreimer DT
    . Overview of improving tolerance of long-term mechanical ventilation. Crit Care Clin 1994;10:845–66.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  13. ↵
    1. Mehta S,
    2. Hill NS
    . Noninvasive ventilation. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2001;163:540–77.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  14. ↵
    1. Udwadia ZF,
    2. Santis GK,
    3. Steven MH,
    4. et al
    . Nasal ventilation to facilitate weaning in patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency. Thorax 1992;47:715–8.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  15. ↵
    1. Glossop AJ,
    2. Shepherd N,
    3. Bryden DC,
    4. et al
    . Non-invasive ventilation for weaning, avoiding reintubation after extubation and in the postoperative period: a meta-analysis [published erratum in Br J Anaesth 2013;110:164.] Br J Anaesth 2012;109:305–14.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  16. ↵
    1. Burns KEA,
    2. Adhikari NKJ,
    3. Keenan SP,
    4. et al
    . Use of noninvasive ventilation to wean critically ill adults from invasive ventilation: meta-analysis and systematic review. BMJ 2009;338:b1574.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  17. ↵
    1. Keenan SP,
    2. Sinuff T,
    3. Burns KEA,
    4. et al
    . as the Canadian Critical Care Trials Group/Canadian Critical Care Society Noninvasive Ventilation Guidelines Group. Clinical practice guidelines for the use of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation and noninvasive continuous positive airway pressure in the acute care setting. CMAJ 2011;183:E195–214.
    OpenUrlFREE Full Text
  18. ↵
    Review Manager (RevMan) version 5.1.6 [Computer program]. The Cochrane Collaboration. The Nordic Cochrane Centre, 2011.
  19. ↵
    1. Cochran W
    . The combination of estimates from different experiments. Biometrics 1954;10:101–29.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  20. ↵
    1. Berlin JA,
    2. Laird NM,
    3. Sachs HS,
    4. et al
    . A comparison of statistical methods for combining event rates from clinical trials. Stat Med 1989;8:141–51.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  21. ↵
    1. Higgins JP,
    2. Thompson SG
    . Quantifying heterogeneity in a meta-analysis. Stat Med 2002;21:1539–58.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  22. ↵
    1. Higgins JPT,
    2. Green S
    , editors. Cochrane Handbook of Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.1.0. [updated March 2011] edition. The Cochrane Collaboration; 2011. Available: www.cochrane-handbook.org.
  23. ↵
    1. Borenstein N,
    2. Hedge LV,
    3. Higgins JPT,
    4. et al
    . Introduction to meta-analysis. Chichester (UK): John Wiley & Sons; 2008.
  24. ↵
    1. Guyatt GH,
    2. Oxman AD,
    3. Vist GE,
    4. et al
    .; GRADE Working Group. Grade an emerging consensus on rating quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. BMJ 2008;336:924–6.
    OpenUrlFREE Full Text
  25. ↵
    1. Girault C,
    2. Bubenheim M,
    3. Abroug F,
    4. et al
    . Noninvasive ventilation and weaning in patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2011;184:672–9.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  26. ↵
    1. Rabie Agmy GM,
    2. Metwally MM
    . Noninvasive ventilation in the weaning of patients with acute-on-chronic respiratory failure due to COPD. Egyptian J Chest Dis Tuberculosis 2012;61:84–91.
    OpenUrl
  27. ↵
    1. Tawfeek MM,
    2. Ali-Elnabtity AM
    . Noninvasive proportional assist ventilation may be useful in weaning patients who failed a spontaneous breathing trial. Egyptian J Anaesthes 2012;28:89–94.
    OpenUrlCrossRef
  28. ↵
    1. Vaschetto R,
    2. Turucz E,
    3. Dellapiazza F,
    4. et al
    . Noninvasive ventilation after early extubation in patients recovering from hypoxemic acute respiratory failure: a single-centre feasibility study. Intensive Care Med 2012;38:1599–606.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  29. ↵
    1. Hill NS,
    2. Lin D,
    3. Levy M,
    4. et al
    . Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) to facilitate extubation after acute respiratory failure: a feasibility study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2000; 161:B18.
    OpenUrl
  30. ↵
    1. Rabie Agmy GM,
    2. Mohamed AZ,
    3. Mohamed RN
    . Noninvasive ventilation in the weaning of patients with acute-on-chronic respiratory failure due to COPD. Chest 2004;126(Suppl 4):755.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  31. ↵
    1. Chen J,
    2. Qiu D,
    3. Tao D
    . Time for extubation and sequential noninvasive mechanical ventilation in COPD patients with acute exacerbated respiratory failure who received invasive ventilation [article in Chinese]. Zhongua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi 2001; 24:99–100.
    OpenUrl
  32. ↵
    1. Wang X,
    2. Du X,
    3. Zhang W
    . Observation of the results and discussion on the timing of transition from invasive mechanical ventilation to noninvasive ventilation in COPD patients with concomitant acute respiratory failure. Shandong Med J 2004;44:4–6.
    OpenUrl
  33. ↵
    1. Zheng R,
    2. Liu L,
    3. Yang Y
    . Prospective randomized controlled clinical study of sequential noninvasive following invasive mechanical ventilation in patients with acute respiratory failure induced COPD. Chinese J Emerg Med 2005;14:21–5.
    OpenUrl
  34. ↵
    1. Zou SH,
    2. Zhou R,
    3. Chen P,
    4. et al
    . Application of sequential noninvasive following invasive mechanical ventilation in COPD patients with severe respiratory failure by investigating the appearance of pulmonary-infection-control-window [article in Chinese]. Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban 2006;31:120–4.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  35. ↵
    1. Prasad SB,
    2. Chaudhry D,
    3. Khanna R
    . Role of noninvasive ventilation in weaning from mechanical ventilation in patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an Indian experience. Indian J Crit Care Med 2009;13:207–12.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  36. ↵
    1. Nava S,
    2. Ambrosino N,
    3. Clini E,
    4. et al
    . Noninvasive mechanical ventilation in the weaning of patients with respiratory failure due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 1998;128:721–8.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  37. ↵
    Collaborating Research Group for Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation of the Chinese Respiratory Society. Pulmonary infection control window in the treatment of severe respiratory failure of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases: a prospective, randomized controlled, multi-centre study. Chin Med J (Engl) 2005;118: 1589–94.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  38. ↵
    1. Girault C,
    2. Daudenthun I,
    3. Chevron V,
    4. et al
    . Noninvasive ventilation as a systematic extubation and weaning technique in acute-on-chronic respiratory failure: a prospective, randomized controlled study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1999;160:86–92.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  39. ↵
    1. Ferrer M,
    2. Esquinas A,
    3. Arancibia F,
    4. et al
    . Noninvasive ventilation during persistent weaning failure. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2003;168:70–6.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  40. ↵
    1. Trevisan CE,
    2. Viera SR
    ; the Research Group in Mechanical Ventilation Weaning. Noninvasive mechanical ventilation may be useful in treating patients who fail weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation: a randomized clinical trial. Crit Care 2008;12:R51.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  41. ↵
    1. Brook AD,
    2. Ahrens TS,
    3. Schaiff R,
    4. et al
    . Effect of a nursing-implemented sedation protocol on the duration of mechanical ventilation. Crit Care Med 1999;27:2609–15.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  42. ↵
    1. Moher D,
    2. Liberati A,
    3. Tetzlaff J,
    4. et al
    .; Prisma Group. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. J Clin Epidemiol 2009;62:1006–12.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  43. ↵
    1. Devereaux PJ,
    2. Yusuf S,
    3. Yang H,
    4. et al
    . Are the recommendations to use perioperative beta-blocker therapy in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery based on reliable evidence? CMAJ 2004;171:245–7.
    OpenUrlFREE Full Text
  44. ↵
    1. Thorlund K,
    2. Imberger G,
    3. Walsh M,
    4. et al
    . The number of patients and events required to limit the risk of overestimation of intervention effects in meta-analysis: a simulation study. PLoS ONE 2011;6:e25491.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  45. ↵
    1. Pawar M,
    2. Mehta Y,
    3. Khurana P,
    4. et al
    . Ventilator associated pneumonia: incidence, risk factors, outcome and microbiology. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 2003;17:22–8.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Canadian Medical Association Journal: 186 (3)
CMAJ
Vol. 186, Issue 3
18 Feb 2014
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author

Article tools

Respond to this article
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
To sign up for email alerts or to access your current email alerts, enter your email address below:
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on CMAJ.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Noninvasive ventilation as a weaning strategy for mechanical ventilation in adults with respiratory failure: a Cochrane systematic review
(Your Name) has sent you a message from CMAJ
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the CMAJ web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Noninvasive ventilation as a weaning strategy for mechanical ventilation in adults with respiratory failure: a Cochrane systematic review
Karen E.A. Burns, Maureen O. Meade, Azra Premji, Neill K.J. Adhikari
CMAJ Feb 2014, 186 (3) E112-E122; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.130974

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
‍ Request Permissions
Share
Noninvasive ventilation as a weaning strategy for mechanical ventilation in adults with respiratory failure: a Cochrane systematic review
Karen E.A. Burns, Maureen O. Meade, Azra Premji, Neill K.J. Adhikari
CMAJ Feb 2014, 186 (3) E112-E122; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.130974
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • Methods
    • Results
    • Interpretation
    • Acknowledgement
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Figures & Tables
  • Related Content
  • Responses
  • Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • Highlights
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • Noninvasive Ventilation as a Weaning Strategy in Subjects with Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure
  • Noninvasive Ventilation Is Interrupted Frequently and Mostly Used at Night in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
  • Resource use, characteristics and outcomes of prolonged non-invasive ventilation: a single-centre observational study in China
  • Variation in Definition of Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation
  • Official ERS/ATS clinical practice guidelines: noninvasive ventilation for acute respiratory failure
  • FIRST-line support for Assistance in Breathing in Children (FIRST-ABC): protocol for a multicentre randomised feasibility trial of non-invasive respiratory support in critically ill children
  • Noninvasive ventilation during the weaning process in chronically critically ill patients
  • BTS/ICS guideline for the ventilatory management of acute hypercapnic respiratory failure in adults
  • Noninvasive Ventilation Intolerance: Characteristics, Predictors, and Outcomes
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • The effect of changing screening practices and demographics on the incidence of gestational diabetes in British Columbia, 2005–2019
  • Self-reported sleep disturbances among people who have had a stroke: a cross-sectional analysis
  • Risk of interpersonal violence during and after pregnancy among people with schizophrenia: a population-based cohort study
Show more Research

Similar Articles

Collections

  • Topics
    • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
    • Respiratory medicine

 

View Latest Classified Ads

Content

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Collections
  • Sections
  • Blog
  • Podcasts
  • Alerts
  • RSS
  • Early releases

Information for

  • Advertisers
  • Authors
  • Reviewers
  • CMA Members
  • CPD credits
  • Media
  • Reprint requests
  • Subscribers

About

  • General Information
  • Journal staff
  • Editorial Board
  • Advisory Panels
  • Governance Council
  • Journal Oversight
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Copyright and Permissions
  • Accessibiity
  • CMA Civility Standards
CMAJ Group

Copyright 2023, CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors. All rights reserved. ISSN 1488-2329 (e) 0820-3946 (p)

All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association or its subsidiaries.

To receive any of these resources in an accessible format, please contact us at CMAJ Group, 500-1410 Blair Towers Place, Ottawa ON, K1J 9B9; p: 1-888-855-2555; e: cmajgroup@cmaj.ca

Powered by HighWire