The role of HFNC

Abstract

Acute respiratory infection due to 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is now known as novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia (NCIP). In the hospitalized NCIP patients, the time from disease onset to shortness of breath was median 8 days and to development of ARDS was median 10.5 days. Most of the patients received oxygen therapy. HFNC has many physiological advantages compared with other standard oxygen therapies, such as anatomical dead space washout, more constant fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), and supplement of adequate humidification, and is one of the oxygen therapies for critically ill patients. In this care setting, the use of HFNC with its indications and benefits, precautions for aerosols, and the combined use with the prone position are the subject of active scientific interest especially for older patients.