KEY FINDINGSVery low-quality evidence suggests lower mortality (based on five observational studies) but higher failurerate of respiratory support (based on two observational studies) in COVID-19 patients given high-flow nasalcannula (HFNC) oxygen compared with noninvasive ventilation (NIV) and conventional oxygenation therapy.Randomized controlled trials (RCT) are urgently needed in this area.• Respiratory failure accounts for about half of deaths in patients with COVID-19.• High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen therapy reduces the need for escalating respiratory support and improvespatient comfort compared with conventional oxygen therapy among those with acute respiratory failure.• Mortality was consistently lower in COVID-19 patients who received HFNC rather than NIV or conventionaloxygen therapy (COT) across 5 very low-quality retrospective observational studies from China.• Several international guidelines recommend the use of HFNC oxygen therapy in COVID-19 patients whodevelop acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. However, local guidelines from the Philippine Society forMicrobiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID) and the Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP) recommendagainst HFNC due to risks of transmission and paucity of direct evidence for efficacy.• Additional infection control precautions, i.e. wearing a surgical mask over the cannula, and locating in a negativepressure room, are recommended whenever using HFNC or NIV.• There are at least two ongoing trials due to be completed by the second quarter of 2021 comparingHFNC oxygenation with NIV or COT in COVID-19 patients.
Correction to: Comparison of hypoxemia, intubation procedure, and complications for noninvasive ventilation against high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy for patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: a nonrandomized retrospective analysis for effectiveness and safety (NIVaHIC-aHRF)
