Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of children treated with nasal high flow and with standard oxygen therapy for status asthmaticus
| NHF n = 39 | Standard oxygen n = 30 | p* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years), median [IQR] | 3.6 [1.6–5.6] | 3.6 [2.2–6.7] | 0.72 |
| Male/female ratio | 20/19 | 21/9 | 0.11 |
| Weight (kg), median [IQR] | 15 [11–24] | 15 [13–23] | 0.64 |
| PIM2 at admission, median [IQR] | 1.5 [1.15–3.3] | 1 [0.3–1.37] | <0.001 |
| History of asthma or >2 bronchiolitis, n (%) | 31 (80) | 23 (77) | 0.79 |
| Previous admission for asthma, n (%) | 19 (48) | 11 (37) | 0.31 |
| In PICU, n (%) | 4 (10) | 2 (6) | 0.66 |
| Long-term control medicine, n (%) | 17 (44) | 14 (47) | 0.80 |
| Clinical parameters at admission, median [IQR] | |||
| Respiratory rate (/min) | 35 [31–47] | 35 [30–43] | 0.47 |
| Heart rate (/min) | 164 [154–185] | 168 [153–180] | 0.89 |
| SpO2 (%) | 97 [95–98] | 98 [97–100] | 0.04 |
| SpO2/FiO2 | 216 [175–303] | NA | |
| Venous blood gas at admission, median [IQR] | |||
| pH | 7.35 [7.28–7.39] | 7.36 [7.34–7.39] | 0.27 |
| pCO2 (kPa) | 5.6 [4.7–7.7] | 4.9 [4.4–5.6] | 0.02 |
| Bicarbonates (mmol/L) | 22 [20–24] | 20 [20–23] | 0.35 |
| Acidosis (pH < 7.30), n (%) | 10 (26%) | 2 (7%) | 0.04 |
| Associated medication, n (%) | |||
| Salbutamol—nebulized | 39 (100%) | 30 (100%) | 1.0 |
| Corticosteroids—intravenousa | 31 (79%) | 19 (63%) | 0.14 |
| Salbutamol—intravenous | 13 (33%) | 5 (17%) | 0.12 |
| Magnesium sulphate | 23 (59%) | 8 (27%) | 0.007 |
| PICU LOS (days), median [IQR] | 3 [2.5–5] | 1.5 [1, 2] | <0.001 |
LOS length of stay, PIM Paediatric Index of Mortality, PICU paediatric intensive care unit, NHF nasal high flow
* Statistical analysis with Chi-square test for qualitative variables or Mann–Whitney U test for nonparametric independent sample
aAll other children received oral corticosteroids