Table 1 Characteristics of all patients managed with NIV according to age

Characteristics at ICU admission

Age, yr

84 (80-86)

67 (54-74)

< 0.001

[min-max]

[80-94]

[17-79]

Gender, M/F, n

45/53

185/93

< 0.001

Home respiratory support, n (%)

14 (14)

28 (10)

0.4

   Nasal O₂

10

17

   NIV

4

11

History of ICU admission for ARF, n (%)

18 (18)

49 (18)

0.87

Immunocompromised, n (%)^a

9 (9)

54 (19)

0.02

Location before ICU admission, n (%)

0.15

   Emergency room

59 (60)

140 (50)

   Medical ward

28 (29)

110 (40)

   Surgical ward

11 (11)

28 (10)

NIV start before ICU admission, n (%)

15 (15)

28 (10)

0.16

SAPS II at admission, points

43 (36-52)

39 (31-49)

< 0.01

Non-age-related SAPS II, points^b

25 (18-34)

27 (20-38)

0.21

Characteristics at NIV start

Patients with extra respiratory organ failure, n (%)^c

65 (66)

189 (68)

0.76

NIV context, n (%)

< 0.001

   CPE-AOC respiratory failure

30 (31)

93 (34)

   de novo ARF

16 (16)

79 (28)

   Postextubation

13 (13)

84 (30)

   Do-not-intubate order

39 (40)

22 (8)

ABG before NIV start

   pH

7.35 (7.27-7.42)

7.38 (7.30-7.44)

0.05

   PaCO₂, mmHg

57 (40-71)

47 (37-60)

< 0.01

   PaO₂/FiO₂, mmHg

189 (145-235)

190 (120-240)

0.69

NIV management

NIV duration within the first 24 hours, h

6 (4-10)

4 (3-8)

< 0.001

Period of NIV delivery during ICU stay, d

3 (1-5)

2 (1-3)

< 0.001

Discharged from ICU with NIV, n (%)^d

9/94 (10)

11/267 (4)

0.05