Franc ¸ois Lellouche E. L’Her F. Abroug N. Deye P. O. Rodriguez A. Rabbat S. Jaber M. Fartoukh G. Conti C. Cracco J. C. Richard J. D. Ricard H. Mal H. Mentec F. Loisel J. C. Lacherade S. Taille ´ L. Brochard Impact of the humidification device on intubation rate during noninvasive ventilation with ICU ventilators: results of a multicenter randomized controlled trial Received: 9 August 2013 Accepted: 22 October 2013 Ó Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg and ESICM 2013 Presented in part at the 2006 International Conference of the American Thoracic Society, May 16–22 San Diego, USA. Take-home message: The short-term physiological benefits of heated humidifiers (HH) in comparison with heat and moisture exchangers during NIV with ICU ventilators were not observed in this randomized controlled study including 247 patients, and no difference in intubation rate was found. The physiologic effects may have been obscured by leaks or other important factors in the clinical settings. This study does not support the recent recommendation favoring the use of HH during NIV. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00190346. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00134-013-3145-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. F. Lellouche Á P. O. Rodriguez Á S. Taille ´ Á L. Brochard Service de Re ´animation Me ´dicale, Ho ˆpital Henri Mondor, Cre ´teil, France F. Lellouche ( ) ) Service de Soins Intensifs, Centre de Recherche de l’Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Que ´bec, 2725 Chemin Sainte-Foy, Que ´bec G1V4G5, Canada e-mail: francois.lellouche @criucpq.ulaval.ca Tel.: ?33-14-9812384 Fax: ?33-14-2079943 E. L’Her Service de Re ´animation Me ´dicale, Ho ˆpital de la Cavale Blanche, Brest, France F. Abroug Service de Re ´animation Me ´dicale, Ho ˆpital Bourguiba, Monastir, Tunisia N. Deye Service de Re ´animation Me ´dicale, Ho ˆpital Europe ´en Georges Pompidou, Paris, France P. O. Rodriguez Servicio de Terapia Intensiva y Neumonologı ´a, CEMIC (Centro de Educacio ´n Me ´dica e Investigaciones Clı ´nicas), Buenos Aires, Argentina A. Rabbat Service de Re ´animation Me ´dicale, Ho ˆtel Dieu, Paris, France S. Jaber Service de Re ´animation Chirurgicale, Ho ˆpital Saint Eloi, Montpellier, France M. Fartoukh Service de Re ´animation Me ´dicale, Ho ˆpital Tenon, Paris, France G. Conti Istituto di anestesiologia e Rianimazione, Universita ` Cattolica Policlinico A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy C. Cracco Service de Re ´animation Me ´dicale, Ho ˆpital de la Pitie ´ Salpe ´trie `re, Paris, France J. C. Richard Service de Re ´animation Me ´dicale, CHU de Rouen, Rouen, France J. D. Ricard Service de Re ´animation Me ´dicale, Ho ˆpital Louis Mourier, Colombes, France H. Mal Service de Re ´animation Me ´dicale, Ho ˆpital Beaujon, Clichy, France Intensive Care Med DOI 10.1007/s00134-013-3145-z ORIGINAL