The utility of high-flow nasal oxygen for severe COVID-19 pneumonia in a resource-constrained setting: A multi-centre prospective observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The utility of heated and humidified high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) for severe COVID-19-related hypoxaemic respiratory failure (HRF), particularly in settings with limited access to intensive care unit (ICU) resources, remains unclear, and predictors of outcome have been poorly studied.

Methods

We included consecutive patients with COVID-19-related HRF treated with HFNO at two tertiary hospitals in Cape Town, South Africa. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who were successfully weaned from HFNO, whilst failure comprised intubation or death on HFNO.

Findings

The median (IQR) arterial oxygen partial pressure to fraction inspired oxygen ratio (P_aO2/FiO₂) was 68 (54-92) in 293 enroled patients. Of these, 137/293 (47%) of pa

SUBMITTER: Calligaro GL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7536126 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature