Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients admitted to intensive care unit for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. * Acute hypoxemic respiratory failure is defined by respiratory rate ≥25 breaths/min, and partial pressure of oxygen in the arterial blood (PaO2)/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) ≤300 mm Hg or oxygen saturation (SpO2)/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) ratio \<235 while spontaneously breathing under standard oxygen with oxygen flow rate of at least 10 L/min, high flow oxygen therapy or non-invasive ventilation. For patients under standard oxygen, FiO2 is calculated according to the following formula: FiO2=0.21 + 0.03 per litre of supplemental oxygen. * Informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * impaired consciousness - Glasgow coma score \<14; * inability to cooperate or prone position intolerance; * immediate indications for endotracheal intubation; * patients with do-not-intubate order at time of inclusion; * patients with contraindication to high flow oxygen therapy (HFOT) or non-invasive ventilation (NIV); * Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) above 50 mm Hg and quantitative measure of the acidity (pH) \<7,3; * vasopressor dose \>0.3 µg/kg/min of norepinephrine-equivalent to maintain systolic blood pressure \>90 mmHg; * Covid-19 positive