High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients with respiratory failure

BACKGROUND: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy is widely applied in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF); however, its advantages over mechanical ventilation (MV) remain unclear. We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of HFNC oxygen therapy and MV in IPF patients with respiratory failure. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study of patients with IPF admitted between January 2015 and December 2017 who underwent HFNC oxygen therapy or MV during hospitalization was conducted. The primary outcome was the comparison of in-hospital mortality among HFNC only group, MV with prior HFNC group, and MV only group. RESULTS: A total of 61 patients with IPF and ARF were included in the current study. Forty-five patients received HFNC oxygen therapy without endotracheal intubation and 16 received MV. The overall hospital mortality rate was 59.0%, of which 53.3% was for HFNC oxygen therapy and 55.6% (5/9) for MV only group (P=1.000). Although no significant difference in the mortality rate was observed among three groups, that of MV with prior HFNC oxygen therapy (n=7) was 100% (P=0.064). Additionally, the HFNC oxygen therapy group showed shorter length of hospital and ICU stay than the MV group (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IPF and ARF who received MV with prior HFNC oxygen therapy showed increased mortality rate than those who received HFNC only oxygen therapy or MV. Considering the complication rate of MV, need for lung transplantation, and the will to undergo end-of-life care, a proper transition from HFNC oxygen therapy to MV should be planned cautiously.