Applications of different flow rates of humidified high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy on ICU patients with difficult weaning / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the effects of different initial flow rates of humidified high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy on weaning outcomes and comfort level among ICU patients with difficult weaning.Methods:A total of 99 ICU patients with difficult weaning received at Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital ICU from June 2019 to June 2021 were enrolled in the present study, they were assigned to 40 L/min group, 50 L/min group and 60 L/min group according to the random number table method, with 33 cases in each group. The weaning outcomes among three groups were compared, the degree of dryness of oral/nasal cavity, throat pain as well as vital signs and blood gas indexes were also compared before extubation and 30 min after the first humidified high flow nasal cannula (HHFNC) oxygen therapy.Results:There was no significant difference in length of stay in ICU and hospital, re-intubation within 7 days, the mortality within 28 days in ICU and the hospital among three groups ( P>0.05). The weaning success rate were 78.8% (24/33) and 77.4% (23/31) in 50 L/min group and 60 L/min, higher than in the 40 L/min group 53.1% (17/32), the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=4.78, 4.09, both P<0.05). After oxygen therapy, the scores of dryness of oral/nasal cavity and throat pain in the 40 L/min group, 50 L/min group and 60 L/min group were (3.16 ± 0.77), (2.94 ± 0.80) and (3.27 ± 0.92), (3.09 ± 0.77), and (4.10 ± 1.01), (3.97 ± 1.40), the differences were statistically significant ( F=5.21, 9.26, both P<0.05), and the differences between 50 L/min group and 40 L/min group and 60 L/min group were statistically significant ( t values were 2.62-3.99, all P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in vital signs and blood gas indexes among the three groups before extubation and after oxygen therapy ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Humidified high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy for the ICU patients with difficult weaning, oxygen flow with 50L/min can not only effectively promote weaning success rate but also improve patients′ respiratory comfort level.