Aims  Non-invasive ventilation represents an established treatment for acute cardiogenic pulmonary oedema (ACPO) although no data regarding the best ventilatory strategy are available. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of helmet CPAP (hCPAP) and high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) in the early treatment of ACPO. Methods and results  Single-centre randomized controlled trial of patients admitted to the emergency department due to ACPO with hypoxemia and dyspnoea on face mask oxygen therapy. Patients were randomly assigned with a 1:1 ratio to receive hCPAP or HFNC and FiO2 set to achieve an arterial oxygen saturation >94%. The primary outcome was a reduction in respiratory rate; secondary outcomes included changes in heart rate, PaO2/FiO2 ratio, Heart rate, Acidosis, Consciousness, Oxygenation, and Respiratory rate (HACOR) score, Dyspnoea Scale, and intubation rate. Data were collected before hCPAP/HFNC placement and after 1 h of treatment. Amongst 188 patients randomized, hCPAP was more effective than HFNC in reducing respiratory rate [−12 (95% CI; 11–13) vs. −9 (95% CI; 8–10), P < 0.001] and was associated with greater heart rate reduction [−20 (95% CI; 17–23) vs. −15 (95% CI; 12–18), P = 0.042], P/F ratio improvement [+149 (95% CI; 135–163) vs. +120 (95% CI; 107–132), P = 0.003] as well as in HACOR scores [6 (0–12) vs. 4 (2–9), P < 0.001] and Dyspnoea Scale [4 (1–7) vs. 3.5 (1–6), P = 0.003]. No differences in intubation rate were noted (P = 0.321). Conclusion  Amongst patients with ACPO, hCPAP resulted in a greater short-term improvement in respiratory and hemodynamic parameters as compared with HFNC. Trial registration  Clinical trial submission: NMRR-17-1839-36966 (IIR). Registry name: Medical Research and Ethics Committee of Malaysia Ministry of Health. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04005092. URL registry: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04005092.

Background Subglottic secretion had been proven as one of the causes of microaspiration and increased risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The role of ultrasound to detect subglottic secretion has not yet been established. Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the sensitivity and specificity of upper airway ultrasound (US) in the detection of subglottic secretions as compared to computed tomography (CT) scanning. Material and methods A prospective observational study was carried out in adult trauma patients requiring mechanical ventilation and cervical CT scan. All patients had an endotracheal tube cuff-pressure maintained between 20 and 30 cm H2O. Airway US was performed at the bedside immediately before the patient was transferred to the CT scan suite. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive/negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) of the upper airway US detection of subglottic secretions were then calculated and compared with CT findings. Results Fifty participants were consecutively included. Subglottic secretions were detected in 31 patients using upper airway US. The sensitivity and specificity of upper airway US in detecting subglottic secretion were 96.7% and 90%, respectively (PPV 93.5%, NPV 94.7%). 18 (58%) patients with subglottic secretions developed VAP during their ICU stay (p = 0.01). The area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) was 0.977 (95% CI 0.936–1.00). Conclusions Upper airway US is a useful tool for detecting subglottic secretions with high sensitivity and specificity. Clinical implications This study shows: Upper airway US may aid in detecting subglottic secretions, which are linked to VAP. Detecting subglottic secretions at the bedside aids in determining the best frequency of subglottic aspiration to clean the subglottic trachea. Upper airway US may also aid in detecting the correct ETT position. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT04739878 Date of registration 2nd May 2021 URL of trial registry record https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04739878.

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