He H, Sun B, Liang L, et al. - In this prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial, researchers investigated the ability of early noninvasive ventilation (NIV) for attenuating the requirement for invasive ventilation in patients with pneumonia-induced early mild acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). They compared NIV with conventional administration of oxygen through a Venturi mask. The numbers of patients who satisfied the intubation criteria were assessed as the primary outcome. In multivariate analysis, minute ventilation greater than 11 L/min at 48 h was shown to independently confer risk for NIV failure. Among patients with pneumonia-induced early mild ARDS, no decrease in the requirement for intubation was brought about by treatment with NIV, however, NIV vs standard oxygen therapy resulted in improved PaO₂/FIO₂ (arterial oxygen tension/inspired oxygen fraction). NIV failure may be predicted by high minute ventilation.