Early weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation via high-flow nasal oxygen versus conventional weaning in patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure: a prospective randomized controlled study

Abstract

Objective: Although the efficacy of high-flow nasal oxygen therapy in delaying or avoiding intubation in patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure has been studied, its potential for facilitating early weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation remains unexplored.

Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 80 adults with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure requiring invasive mechanical ventilation for > 48 hours were enrolled and divided into two groups: conventional weaning and early weaning via high-flow nasal oxygen. In the conventional weaning group, the spontaneous breathing trial was performed after the PaO2/FiO2 ratio was ≥ 200, whereas in the high-flow nasal oxygen group, the spontaneous breathing trial was conducted earlier when the PaO2/FiO2 ratio was 150 - 200. Following each successful spontaneous breathing trial, patients were extubated and put on oxygen supplementation via a venturi mask or high-flow nasal oxygen on the basis of their group allocation. The primary objective was to compare extubation failure (reintubation within 48 hours). The secondary objectives were to compare total invasive mechanical ventilation, oxygen requirement and sedation requirement days, ventilator-associated pneumonia incidence, invasive mechanical ventilation-free days, intensive care unit length of stay, and intensive care unit all-cause mortality.

Results: Extubation failure was not significantly different between the high-flow nasal oxygen group and the conventional weaning group [12.5% versus 25%, respectively; odds ratio (95%CI) 0.5 (0.19 - 1.33)] (p = 0.25). Early weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation via high-flow nasal oxygen was associated with significantly increased invasive mechanical ventilation-free days and total oxygen requirement days (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). No significant between-group differences were observed in total invasive mechanical ventilation days, ventilator-associated pneumonia incidence, intensive care unit length of stay, sedation duration, or all-cause mortality.

Conclusion: Among patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, early extubation with high-flow nasal oxygen is a feasible and superior alternative to the conventional method of weaning, as it increases the number of invasive mechanical ventilation-free days.

Figure 1. Consort flow diagram.

Figure 2. Box and whisker plots comparing the median (quartiles) total oxygen requirement days and total invasive mechanical ventilation-free days between the high flow nasal oxygen and conventional weaning techniques.