Yuwen Luo, Yan Luo, Yun Li, Luqian Zhou, Zhe Zhu, Yitai Chen, Yuxia Huang, and Xin Chen. Yonsei Med J. 2016 Jul 1; 57(4): 936–941.
This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effects of helmet CPAP on gas exchange, mortality, intubation rate and in-hospital mortality rate in comparison with the conventional oxygen therapy (COT). Data obtained from four studies and 377 subjects with hypoxemic acute respiratory failure (hARF) showed that helmet CPAP significantly increased the PaO2/FiO2, and reduced the arterial carbon dioxide levels, intubation rate and in-hospital mortality rates as compared to COT therapy. These results suggest that the helmet improves oxygenation, reduces mortality and intubation rates. However, large randomised controlled trials are needed to validate these findings.
Link to abstract.