Controversies in patients with acute respiratory failure

Pro and con debate
Chairs: L. Piquilloud (Lausanne, Switzerland)
Aims: To tackle three different controversial issue in the treatment of acute de novo respiratory failure, like the utility and effectiveness of steroid therapy, the rationale for performing lung biopsy in ARDS and finally the potential danger and utility of NIV to treat de novo respiratory failure.

PRO - Lung biopsy in ARDS L. Bos (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
CON - Lung biopsy in ARDS C. Karagiannidis (Cologne, Germany)
PRO - NIV in acute hypoxemic failure P. Navalesi (Padova, Italy)
CON - NIV in acute hypoxemic failure A. Demoule (Paris, France)
PRO - Steroids in ARDS S. Nava (Bologna (BO), Italy)
CON - Steroids in ARDS P. Tuinman (Amsterdam, Netherlands)