OBJECTIVES: To determine the role of assisted ventilation in children with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and acute respiratory failure, and to identify any measurement or variable that predicted survival. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Kings County (New York) Hospital Center, a tertiary-level inner-city municipal hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who were endotracheally intubated and mechanically ventilated because of acute respiratory failure. MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS: There were 24 episodes of acute respiratory failure, as one patient survived a first episode and died during the second episode 2 years later. We failed to identify any measurement or variable that predicted survival. During 12 episodes (50%), the patients survived and were weaned from the ventilator. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that a decision to avoid intubation and assisted ventilation in a child with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and acute respiratory failure should not be made based merely on the presumption of a lethal outcome.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the role of assisted ventilation in children with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and acute respiratory failure, and to identify any measurement or variable that predicted survival. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Kings County (New York) Hospital Center, a tertiary-level inner-city municipal hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who were endotracheally intubated and mechanically ventilated because of acute respiratory failure. MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS: There were 24 episodes of acute respiratory failure, as one patient survived a first episode and died during the second episode 2 years later. We failed to identify any measurement or variable that predicted survival. During 12 episodes (50%), the patients survived and were weaned from the ventilator. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that a decision to avoid intubation and assisted ventilation in a child with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and acute respiratory failure should not be made based merely on the presumption of a lethal outcome.