. 2022 Jan 13;11(2):391. doi: 10.3390/jcm11020391

Table 3.

Effects of HFNC vs. NIV on predefined outcomes. RR: relative risk; CI: confidence interval; HFNC: high-flow nasal cannula; NIV: non-invasive ventilation.

Outcome	Results	Absolute Effect Estimates		Certainty of Evidence
Outcome	Results	NIV	HFNC
Mortality: in-hospital (up to longest follow-up)	RR: 0.92 (95% CI 0.65–1.33) 986 patients from 3 studies	233 per 1000	214 per 1000	very low due to serious risk of bias, serious imprecision and indirectness
Mortality: in-hospital (up to longest follow-up)	RR: 0.92 (95% CI 0.65–1.33) 986 patients from 3 studies	difference: 19 less per 1000 (95% CI 82 less to 77 more)
Mortality: up to day 30 (follow-up 28 to 30 days)	RR: 1.14 (95% CI 0.86–1.51) 902 patients from 2 studies	164 per 1000	187 per 1000	very low due to serious risk of bias, serious imprecision and indirectness
Mortality: up to day 30 (follow-up 28 to 30 days)	RR: 1.14 (95% CI 0.86–1.51) 902 patients from 2 studies	difference: 23 more per 1000 (95% CI 23 less to 84 more)
Intubation or death (follow-up 30 days)	RR 1.22 (95% CI 1.03–1.45) 791 patients from 1 study	363 per 1000	443 per 1000	low due to serious risk of bias and indirectness
Intubation or death (follow-up 30 days)	RR 1.22 (95% CI 1.03–1.45) 791 patients from 1 study	difference: 80 more per 1000 (95% CI 11 more to 164 more)		low due to serious risk of bias and indirectness
Intubation (follow-up 28 to 30 days)	RR 1.34 (95% CI 1.00–1.80) 900 patients from 2 studies	329 per 1000	441 per 1000	very low due to serious risk of bias, serious imprecision and indirectness
Intubation (follow-up 28 to 30 days)	RR 1.34 (95% CI 1.00–1.80) 900 patients from 2 studies	difference: 112 more per 1000 (95% CI 0 more to 263 more)
Serious adverse events (follow-up 30 days)	RR 0.06 (95% CI 0.00–1.06) 797 patients from 1 study	18 per 1000	1 per 1000	very low due to serious imprecision, serious risk of bias and indirectness
Serious adverse events (follow-up 30 days)	RR 0.06 (95% CI 0.00–1.06) 797 patients from 1 study	difference 17 less per 1000 (95% CI 18 less to 2 more)
Adverse events (follow-up 30 days)	906 patients from 2 studies	Perkins: NIV 200/380 vs. HFNC 157/417 (as no. events in total) Grieco: 37/54 vs. 70/55		very low due to serious risk of bias, inconsistency and indirectness
Length of hospital stay (censored at 30 days)	difference of means +1.90 days 768 patients from 1 study	16.4 days	18.3 days	low due to serious risk of bias, serious imprecision and indirectness
Length of hospital stay (censored at 30 days)	difference of means +1.90 days 768 patients from 1 study	difference: 1.90 days more (95% CI 0.75 less to 4.55 more)
Respiratory-support-free days: no invasive ventilation, HFNC, or NIV (follow-up 28 days)	difference of means 2 days 109 patients from 1 study	15 (11)	13 (11)	low due very serious imprecision
	difference of means 2 days 109 patients from 1 study	difference: 2.0 days more (95% CI 6.16 less to 2.13 more)		low due very serious imprecision