Evaluation of Patients Receiving High-flow Nasal Cannula Oxygenation Therapy in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Objective: Patients hospitalized in pediatric intensive care units require various rates of respiratory and oxygen support therapies. Invasive and non-invasive treatment methods are used as respiratory support treatment, and new technologies are being used in oxygen delivery systems. This study aimed to investigate the success and complication rates of high flow nasal cannula oxygen (HFNCO) therapy in the pediatric intensive care unit.Materials and Methods: In this study, demographic characteristics, treatment processes and success/complication rates of the patients treated with HFNCO between 01.02.2018 and 01.02.2019 in the pediatric intensive care unit of Pediatric Clinic of University of Health Sciences Turkey, Adana City Training and Research Hospital were evaluated retrospectively.Results: The mean age of 131 patients included in the study was 41.82 +/- 46.88 months. The indications for hospitalization of the patients to pediatric intensive care unit or the reasons for starting HFNCO treatment were as follows: pneumonia in 59.5%, asthma/bronchiolitis in 14.5%, sepsis in 6.9%, post-extubation stridor/respiratory distress in 16.8% and other causes in 2.3%. HFNCO treatment was evaluated as successful in 90.8% of the patients and unsuccessful in 9.2%. Complications were seen in five patients (3.8%), pneumothorax in four patients, and abdominal distension in one patient.Conclusion: Studies on HFNCO therapy in terms of therapeutic efficacy, safety, and indications for use are not yet sufficient in quantity and terms of scientific evidence. To evaluate the efficacy and complications of HFNCO treatment, multicenter randomized controlled trials are needed in different patient groups.