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Table 2 Contraindication to Non-invasive Ventilation (NIV)

From: Noninvasive respiratory support for COVID-19 patients: when, for whom, and how?

Contraindications to NIV

1) Cardiac and respiratory arrest

2) Encephalopathy or altered mentation [37]

3) Severe hypoxaemia on admission defined as PaO2/FiO2 < 150 [50]

4) Pneumothorax, pleural effusion, or pulmonary embolism [49]

5) Active upper gastrointestinal bleed, emesis, or aspiration risk [37]

6) Recent facial trauma or facial surgery [37]

7) Hemodynamic instability as defined by vasopressor use [37, 51]

8) Multiorgan dysfunction or failure [51]

9) SOFA score > 5 is predictive of NIV failure [51, 52]

10) Poorly controlled respiratory secretions [37, 39, 53]

11) CXR/CT showing evidence of bilateral, multilobar involvement [39, 51,52,53]