WIN ratio analysis to Determine a strategy of non-invasive SUpport for Respiratory Failure in the EmeRgency Department (WINDSURFER)

WINDSURFER is a national research study focused on improving emergency care for adults with breathing emergencies in our community. A breathing emergency is common and dangerous and can happen suddenly and require fast treatment. Doctors currently use more than one breathing treatment because the best treatment is not known. This study compares two standard treatments to learn which helps people recover better. Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV) uses a fitted mask to push oxygen into the lungs to keep the airways open. High-Flow Nasal Oxygen (HFNO) uses tubes placed in the nose to deliver warm, humidified oxygen at a high flow rate. Both NIPPV and HFNO are commonly used treatments for breathing emergencies. Research is normally only conducted with the express permission of the patient or patient’s legal guardian. However, it is often not possible to obtain consent to study treatments that are administered in life-threatening emergencies. The WINDSURFER trial will therefore be conducted under federal regulations that allow for exception from informed consent (EFIC). The WINDSURFER trial will be conducted at 16 sites that are part of the Strategies to Innovate Emergency Care Clinical Trials Network (SIREN). The trial will include 500 patients and will begin in the Summer of 2026 and continue until the Summer of 2031. WINDSURFER is funded by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).