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Nasal High Flow Versus Non-invasive Ventilation for Early Treatment of Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease With Hypercapnic Acidosis

Nasal High Flow in Early Management of Patients Admitted to the Emergency Department for Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease With Hypercapnic Acidosis : a Randomized Controlled Non Inferiority Study

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06114667
Acronym
HiCOPD
Enrollment
174
Registered
2023-11-02
Start date
2026-06-16
Completion date
2028-11-01
Last updated
2026-06-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Hypercapnic Acidosis, Respiratory Failure With Hypercapnia

Keywords

respiratory insufficiency, Hypercapnic Acute Respiratory Failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation, nasal high flow, non invasive ventilation, emergency department, critical are

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether nasal high flow is non inferior to non invasive ventilation (NIV) in the early treatment of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD) and hypercapnic acidosis in the emergency department (ED). After obtaining informed consent, participants will be randomly assigned to receive either nasal high flow or non invasive ventilation (NIV, reference treatment) as respiratory support. Researchers will compare both respiratory support groups to see if their blood gas analysis and respiration return to normal ranges.

Detailed description

Prospective multicenter comparative therapeutic study, with a randomized controlled parallel and open design. Nasal high flow will be compared to NIV (reference treatment) for early treatment of AE-COPD associated with hypercapnic acidosis. Adult patients admitted to the ED for AE-COPD with hypercapnic acidosis will be randomized to receive either nasal high flow or NIV as ventilatory support. Ventilatory support will be applied in 2h sessions and resumed as needed according to international guidelines for NIV treatment. Close monitoring of clinical and gas parameters will be conducted with repeat assessment and serial blood gas testing at 2h and after each 2h session of respiratory support in the ED (2h, 4h, 6h) and at 24h. Standard oxygen therapy will be administered as required between ventilatory support sessions to maintain a target peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2 : 88-92%). Patient's dyspnea and comfort will be assessed before treatment and at 2h, and after each respiratory support session in the ED Patients will receive standard medical treatment for AE-COPD (bronchodilator, corticosteroids and antibiotics) according to current practice and 2023 global initiative guidelines for the management of COPD (GOLD). Patients will be followed up at day 28 by means of medical records review and telephone interview

Interventions

DEVICEVentilatory support via nasal high flow

Ventilatory support will be applied in 2h sessions and resumed as needed according to international guidelines for NIV treatment.

DEVICEVentilatory support via NIV

Ventilatory support will be applied in 2h sessions and resumed as needed according to international guidelines for NIV treatment.

Sponsors

University Hospital, Montpellier
Lead SponsorOTHER
Fisher and Paykel Healthcare
CollaboratorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Masking description

Masking non feasible

Intervention model description

Participants are randomly assigned to either one of two groups of respiratory support (NIV or nasal high flow) in parallel. Randomization will be in a 1:1 ratio, and stratified by center, severity of hypercapnia and acidosis

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Adult Patient admitted to the ED for acute exacerbation of COPD (AE-COPD)and respiratory acidosis (PaCO2 \> 45 mmHg and pH \<7.35), for whom ventilatory assistance by NIV is indicated (SPLF 2017, GOLD2023 recommendations) Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with ability to understand and give an informed consent * Patients affiliated with or who benefit from a social security * Patients admitted to the emergency department for a clinical suspicion of AE-COPD based on clinical history, physical examination and chest X-ray (SPLF 2017) * Patients with acute respiratory failure defined by: Respiratory rate ≥ 25 bpm AND/OR Signs of respiratory failure (use of accessory respiratory muscles, paradoxical abdominal movement) * Patients with respiratory acidosis defined by PaCO2 \> 45 mmHg AND pH \< 7.35 (measured on arterial blood gas)

Exclusion criteria

* Patients who have already received NIV treatment before inclusion (including in-hospital or prehospital, with the exception of NIV at home) * Contraindication to non-invasive ventilation (SPLF 2017 and GOLD 2023 recommendations) * Patient uncooperative, agitated, opponent of the technique

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in PaCO22 hoursPaCO2 will be measured from standard laboratory arterial blood gas analysis before the initiation of ventilatory assistance and after 2 hours of treatment

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in pH2 hoursBlood gas parameters will be measured from standard laboratory arterial blood gas analysis before the initiation of ventilatory support and after 2 hours of treatment
Change in PaO22 hoursBlood gas parameters will be measured from standard laboratory arterial blood gas analysis before the initiation of ventilatory support and after 2 hours of treatment
Change in PaCO2up to 24 hoursBlood gas parameters will be measured from standard laboratory arterial blood gas analysis before the initiation of ventilatory support and after sessions of ventilatory support
Respiratory rateup to 24 hoursClinical parameters will be monitored by physician at baseline and throughout ventilatory support sessions, according to the international guidelines for NIV monitoring
Signs of increased work of breathing (use of accessory respiratory muscles, paradoxical motion of the abdomen)up to 24 hoursUse of accessory respiratory muscles and paradoxical motion of the abdomen will be assessed by physician at baseline and after sessions of ventilatory support, on a 5 point likert scale (from 1 : absence to 5 : maximal use or accessory respiratory muscle and paradoxical motion of the abdomen)
Perceived dyspneaup to 24 hoursDyspnea will be assessed by the patient using a Modified Borg scale for dyspnea, at baseline and after sessions of ventilatory support. Difficulty of breathing will be quantified on a scale from 0 : no difficulty at all to 10 : breathing difficulty is maximal.
Treatment failure (composite of change of treatment arm / need for invasive mechanical ventilation/ mortality)Up to Day 28Failure will be defined by a composite of clinical or gasometric worsening or patient intolerance inducing a change of treatment arm/ need for orotracheal intubation and/or mortality (all causes).
Weaning from ventilatory supportUp to Day 28Delay from initiation of ventilatory support to weaning

Countries

France

Contacts

CONTACTMustapha Sebbane, MD, PhD
m-sebbane@chu-montpellier.fr+33 (4) 67 33 85 76
CONTACTSophie LEFEBVRE, PhD
s-lefebvre@chu-montpellier.fr+33 (4) 67 33 85 76
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORMustapha Sebbane, MD, PhD

University Hospital, Montpellier

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 23, 2026