Table 4 Patient characteristics, management and outcomes in the matched cohort according to the use of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy
Variables | No HFNC (n = 35) | HFNC (n = 35) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
Clinical characteristics | |||
Age (years) | 64 (53–75) | 65 (52–70) | 0.60 |
SAPS2 score | 48 (36–78) | 42 (31–57) | 0.16 |
SOFA score at ICU admission | 5 (3–10) | 6 (4–10) | 0.68 |
Male gender, n (%) | 22 (63) | 22 (63) | 1.00 |
Body mass index (kg/m2) | 27 (26–31) | 28 (24–32) | 0.99 |
Obesity, n (%) | 11 (31) | 13 (37) | 0.80 |
Arterial hypertension, n (%) | 17 (49) | 19 (54) | 0.81 |
Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 13 (37) | 11 (31) | 0.80 |
Coronary artery disease, n (%) | 6 (17) | 7 (20) | 1.00 |
Stroke, n (%) | 4 (11) | 3 (9) | 1.00 |
Chronic respiratory disease, n (%) | 5 (14) | 7 (20) | 0.75 |
Chronic kidney disease, n (%) | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 1.00 |
Cirrhosis, n (%) | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 1.00 |
Neoplasia, n (%) | 4 (11) | 3 (8) | 1.00 |
Blood type, n (%) | 0.16 | ||
 A | 16 (45) | 20 (57) |  |
 B | 8 (23) | 3 (9) |  |
 AB | 2 (6) | 0 (0) |  |
 O | 9 (26) | 12 (34) |  |
Second pandemic wave, n (%) | 18 (51) | 20 (57) | 0.81 |
Nosocomial COVID-19, n (%) | 32 (91) | 33 (94) | 1.00 |
CT-Scan, n (%) | 30 (86) | 32 (91) | 0.71 |
CT-Scan abnormalities (%) | 0.36 | ||
  < 10% | 1 (3) | 0 (0) |  |
 10–25% | 9 (30) | 5 (17) |  |
 25–50% | 7 (23) | 12 (37) |  |
 50–75% | 11 (37) | 12 (37) |  |
 > 75% | 2 (7) | 3 (9) |  |
Norepinephrine, n (%) | 20 (57) | 19 (54) | 1.00 |
Renal replacement therapy, n (%) | 10 (29) | 6 (17) | 0.39 |
Biological variables at ICU admission | |||
Lymphocytes (× 109/L) | 0.92 (0.44–1.42) | 0.86 (0.55–1.12) | 0.30 |
Fibrinogen (g/L) | 5.88 (5.05–7.88) | 5.99 (5.49–7.11) | 0.99 |
D-Dimers (µg/L) | 2231 (737–3666) | 1187 (858–4545) | 0.62 |
Protein C reactive (mg/L) | 150 (87–193) | 165 (100–258) | 0.48 |
Procalcitonin (ng/L) | 0.49 (0.20–1.25) | 0.45 (0.12–1.01) | 0.51 |
Ferritin (ng/mL) | 1137 (635–3238) | 808 (450–1491) | 0.14 |
Interleukin-6 (pg/mL) | 175 (63–422) | 129 (63–336) | 0.64 |
Troponin (ng/L) | 15 (11–73) | 30 (14–49) | 0.46 |
Treatments at ICU admission | |||
Corticosteroids, n (%) | 18 (51) | 21 (60) | 0.63 |
Immunomodulatory treatments, n (%) | 0 (0) | 5 (14) | 0.07 |
Antiviral drugs, n (%) | 8 (23) | 7 (20) | 1.00 |
Low-dose thrombophylaxis, n (%) | 13 (37) | 9 (26) | 0.44 |
Enhanced intermediate-dose thrombophylaxis, n (%) | 17 (49) | 20 (57) | 0.63 |
Curative anticoagulation, n (%) | 5 (14) | 6 (17) | 1.00 |
Antibiotherapy, n (%) | 20 (57) | 17 (49) | 0.63 |
Ventilatory management | |||
Non-invasive ventilation, n (%) | 4 (11) | 6 (17) | 0.73 |
Intubation, n (%) | 25 (71) | 24 (69) | 1.00 |
Neuromuscular blocker agents, n (%)* | 22(88) | 22 (92) | 1.00 |
Prone positioning, n (%)* | 11 (44) | 15 (62) | 0.25 |
Number of prone positioning sessions | 0 (0–2) | 0 (0–3) | 0.52 |
Awake prone positioning, n (%) | 1 (3) | 3 (9) | 0.61 |
Venovenous ECMO, n (%)* | 0 (0) | 3 (12) | 0.11 |
Nitric oxide, n (%)* | 0 (0) | 3 (12) | 0.11 |
Delays and outcomes | |||
From onset of symptoms to ICU admission (days) | 7 (6–10) | 9 (7–12) | 0.13 |
From ICU admission to intubation (days) | 0 (0–0) | 2 (1–5) |  < 0.001 |
Duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (days) | 13 (0–27) | 6 (0–16) | 0.003 |
Tracheostomy, n (%)* | 3 (12) | 3 (12) | 1.00 |
Ventilator-associated pneumonia, n (%)* | 18 (72) | 20 (83) | 0.49 |
Pulmonary embolism, n (%) | 1 (3) | 2 (6) | 1.00 |
Pneumothorax, n (%) | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 1.00 |
ICU length of stay (days) | 14 (2–28) | 10 (5–26) | 0.98 |
ICU mortality (n,%) | 8 (23) | 10 (29) | 0.78 |
In-hospital mortality, n (%) | 10 (29) | 11 (31) | 1.00 |