PILOTPragmatic Investigation of optimaL Oxygen Targets (PILOT) Trial

Mechanical ventilation of ICU patients universally involves titration of the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) to maintain arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2). Despite decades of ICU practice, however, the optimal SpO2 target remains unknown. Current guidelines offer divergent recommendations as to the optimal SpO2 target. Therefore, we propose a 2,250-patient cluster-randomized cluster-crossover trial comparing a lower SpO2 target (90%; range 88-92%), an intermediate SpO2 target (94%; range 92-96%), and a higher SpO2 target (98%; range 96-100%) with regard to the outcome of days alive and free of invasive mechanical ventilation.