PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Katsuno, Takashi
AU  - Suzuki, Manabu
AU  - Hojo, Masayuki
AU  - Takasaki, Jin
AU  - Sugiyama, Haruhito
TI  - Clinical experience with high-flow nasal cannula for COVID-19 patients in Japan
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.PA3772
DP  - 2021 Sep 05
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - PA3772
VI  - 58
IP  - suppl 65
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA3772.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA3772.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2021 Sep 05; 58
AB  - Introduction: We are amidst a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. Oxygen administration is crucial in COVID-19 treatment, and high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) prevents the need for intubation in patients with acute respiratory failure unlike conventional oxygen therapy. HFNC use for COVID-19 patients is limited owing to concerns of aerosol generation, therefore we aim to report our single-center experience with HFNC for COVID-19 patients.Methods: A retrospective observational study on the use of HFNC for COVID-19 patients admitted to our institution from January 2020 to January 2021. 514 patients were included and divided into HFNC success or HFNC failure, depending on whether intubation could be avoided. Compared the basement characteristics and sequential change after HFNC therapy in both groups.Results: Of 514 patients, 37 patients (7.2%) implemented HFNC due to deterioration. Of these, 24 patients (64.9%) were successfully managed, 4 (10.8%) were escalated to non-invasive ventilation, 7 (18.9%) were required intubation, 2 (5.4%) were palliated. The median duration of HFNC for HFNC success and HFNC failure patients was 5 days and 4 days, respectively. The median maximum FiO2 was 60 % and 100 %, respectively. In terms of sequential change of vital signs, SpO2/ FiO2 and heart rate improved in both groups, after 2–6 hours of HFNC use. All patients administered HFNC used a private negative pressure room. Nosocomial infections were not apparently reported during the study period.Conclusions: The appropriate use of HFNC in COVID-19 patients is beneficial because it can reduce the aggravation and intubation rate.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA3772.This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).