Real-life study of the role of high-flow nasal cannula for bronchiolitis in children younger than 3 months hospitalised in general pediatric departments

Abstract

We aimed to describe the real-life role of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) for bronchiolitis in infants under 3 months of age admitted to three general pediatric departments during the 2017–2018 epidemic period. We retrospectively assessed the clinical severity (Wang score) for every 24-h period of treatment (H0–H24 and H24–H48) according to the initiated medical care (HFNC, oxygen via nasal cannula, or supportive treatments only), the child's discomfort (EDIN score), and transfer to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). A total of 138 infants were included: 47±53 days old, 4661±851.9 g, 70 boys (50.7%), 58 with hypoxemia (42%), Wang score of 6.67±2.58, 110 (79.7%) staying for 48 consecutive hours in the same ward. During the H0–H24 period, only patients treated with HFNC had a statistically significant decrease in the severity score (n=21/110; −2 points, P=0.002) and an improvement in the discomfort score (n=15/63; −3.8 points, P<0.0001). There was no difference between groups during the H24–H48 period. The rate of admission to the PICU was 2.9% for patients treated for at least 24 h with HFNC (n=34/138, 44% with oxygen) versus 16.3% for the others (P=0.033). Early use of HFNC improves both clinical status and discomfort in infants younger than 3 months admitted for moderately severe bronchiolitis, whatever their oxygen status.