Noninvasive ventilation versus conventional oxygen therapy after extubation failure in high-risk patients in an intensive care unit: a pragmatic clinical trial.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of noninvasive ventilation versus conventional oxygen therapy in patients with acute respiratory failure after extubation failure.

Methods: A pragmatic clinical trial was conducted in an intensive care unit from March 2009 to September 2016. Patients on mechanical ventilation > 24 hours who developed acute respiratory failure after scheduled extubation were included and were assigned to noninvasive ventilation or conventional oxygen therapy.