NIV treatment for acute exacerbation in COPD patients.

The authors review the clinical applications of non invasive ventilation (NIV) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), mostly focusing on NIV issues and possible solutions. After briefly reviewing the respiratory mechanics modification during an episode of COPD exacerbation, the authors describe the two crucial technical aspects (choice of the interface and leaks control) that are mostly involved in patient-ventilator interaction. Finally, they briefly review the most important clinical trials on NIV.