High-Flow Nasal Oxygen Cannula Compared to Non-Invasive Ventilation in Adult Patients With AcuTE Respiratory Failure

RENOVATE study aims to investigate if the respiratory support device called High-Flow Nasal Oxygen Cannula (HFNC) acts similarly (non-inferior) to another respiratory support device called Non-Invasive positive-pressure Ventilation (NIPPV) in preventing endotracheal intubation in adult patients with Acute Respiratory Failure (ARF) from different causes. HFNC is a somewhat new method of respiratory support in adults that has been used in neonatal ARF for some years. The reason this study is necessary is that, even though NIPPV has been demonstrated to prevent endotracheal intubation (and its associated complications) in a broad range of ARF patients, HFNC has been proposed to have the same beneficial effect of NIPPV while being easier tolerated, allowing patients to talk, eat and drink through mouth while on HFNC. RENOVATE will recruit between 800 to 2000 patients (adaptive design) with different types of ARF in Brazil. Patients will be randomized to HFNC or NIPPV and the rate of endotracheal intubation will be compared between groups as well as other parameters such as vital status and other health care related complications. \[IMPORTANT NOTE\] On April 13, 2021, on the first interim analysis, the DSMB recommended the interruption of the immunocompromised hypoxemic ARF subgroup.