High PEEP in Noninvasive Ventilation Patients With Pneumonia or ARDS

January 6, 2026 updated by: Duan jun, Chongqing Medical University

Effect of High Versus Low Positive End-Expiratory Pressure on Intubation-Free Survival in Patients With Pneumonia or ARDS Receiving Noninvasive Ventilation: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Noninvasive ventilation is commonly employed in patients with pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and has been shown to reduce the need for intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation. However, the rate of noninvasive ventilation failure remains substantial, at approximately 40%. Compared with patients in whom noninvasive ventilation succeeds, those who experience noninvasive ventilation failure have a higher likelihood of mortality during their intensive care unit or hospital stay. Therefore, improving the success rate of noninvasive ventilation is clinically important. In patients with lung consolidation receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, high positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) can improve oxygenation. Noninvasive ventilation operates on similar physiological principles and can also deliver high PEEP via a mask interface. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence regarding the use of high PEEP during mask-delivered noninvasive ventilation. This study aimed to evaluate whether high PEEP can increase intubation-free survival in patients with pneumonia or ARDS who are treated with noninvasive ventilation.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
706

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
      • Chongqing, China
        • Recruiting
        • The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age >18 years
  • PaO2/FiO2 ≤300 mmHg or SpO2/FiO2 ≤315（SpO2 ≤97%)
  • Anticipated NIV duration > 12 h
  • Preserved consciousness (GCS≥13)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Use of NIV > 24 h before randomization
  • Acute-on-chronic respiratory failure
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Use of NIV after extubation (within 48 hours)
  • Contraindications to NIV (e.g., anatomical malformations, recent pulmonary/esophageal surgery [within 7 days])
  • Pneumothorax
  • NIV intolerance
  • Refusal to participate
  • Pregnancy
  • Need for emergency intubation

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: High PEEP group
Patients in high PEEP group will received 10 to 15 cmH2O of PEEP during noninvasive ventilation.
Procedure: The level of PEEP during noninvasive ventilation
In patients receiving noninvasive ventilation, participants will be randomly assigned to either a low or a high PEEP group. In the high PEEP group, PEEP will be set between 10 and 15 cmH2O. In the low PEEP group, PEEP will be maintained at 5 cmH2O.
Active Comparator: Low PEEP group
Patients in low PEEP group will received 5 cmH2O of PEEP during noninvasive ventilation.
Procedure: The level of PEEP during noninvasive ventilation
In patients receiving noninvasive ventilation, participants will be randomly assigned to either a low or a high PEEP group. In the high PEEP group, PEEP will be set between 10 and 15 cmH2O. In the low PEEP group, PEEP will be maintained at 5 cmH2O.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
28-day intubation-free survival
Time Frame: from randomization to 28 days after randomization
from randomization to 28 days after randomization

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
ICU mortality
Time Frame: up to 24 weeks
up to 24 weeks
Hospital mortality
Time Frame: up to 24 weeks
up to 24 weeks
28-day intubation rate
Time Frame: from randomization to 28 days after randomization
from randomization to 28 days after randomization
the need for intubation within 28 days
Time Frame: from randomization to 28 days after randomization
The rate of the need for intubation within 28 days after randomization was assessed by two independent reviewers with extensive critical care experience.
from randomization to 28 days after randomization
28-day survival
Time Frame: from randomization to 28 days after randomization
from randomization to 28 days after randomization
7-category ordinal scale for clinical improvement at 28 days
Time Frame: from randomization to 28 days after randomization
The 7-category ordinal scale is as follows: 1 = not hospitalized and has resumed normal activities; 2 = not hospitalized but unable to resume normal activities; 3 = hospitalized without requiring supplemental oxygen; 4 = hospitalized and requiring supplemental oxygen; 5 = hospitalized and requiring HFNC, NIV, or both; 6 = hospitalized and requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), invasive mechanical ventilation, or both; 7 = death.
from randomization to 28 days after randomization
28-day invasive ventilator-free days
Time Frame: from randomization to 28 days after randomization
from randomization to 28 days after randomization
Length of ICU stay
Time Frame: up to 24 weeks
up to 24 weeks
Length of hospital stay
Time Frame: up to 24 weeks
up to 24 weeks
60-day mortality
Time Frame: from randomization to 60 days after randomization
from randomization to 60 days after randomization
28-day noninvasive ventilator days
Time Frame: from randomization to 28 days after randomization
from randomization to 28 days after randomization

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Chongqing Medical University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 4, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 8, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 20, 2025

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 23, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 6, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • ChongqingMU06

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

These study data contain ethnic demographic information. Since it remains unclear whether Chinese laws permit the public disclosure of such data upon the completion of the research, a decision has been made to temporarily withhold data sharing during the study design phase.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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