title: The authors reply.
authors.affiliation: Service de Pneumologie et Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, University Paris Descartes, Paris, France; Département de Santé Publique, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, AP-HP, Boulogne, France; and UPRES EA2506, University Versailles-Saint Quentin, Paris, France; Service de Pneumologie et Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, University Paris Descartes, Paris, France; Service de Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France, and U707, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Paris, France; Service de Pneumologie et Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, University Paris Descartes, Paris, France; Service de Pneumologie et Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, University Paris Descartes, Paris, France; on behalf of the CUB-REA Group.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dres
authors.forename: Thi-Chien
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aegerter
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rabbat
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guidet
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Huchon
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roche
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*