HFNC Flow Titration and Effort of Breathing in the PICU

High-Flow Nasal Cannula Flow Titration and Effort of Breathing in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is a method of non-invasive respiratory support used to decrease the effort of breathing (EOB) in patients with a wide variety of respiratory diseases in the pediatric intensive care unit. While its use has shown association with decreased rates of mechanical ventilation, there is a paucity of data examining its direct effect upon objective measurements of EOB. This study will aim to evaluate objective measurements of EOB in response to different levels of HFNC support, characterize the natural course of respiratory diseases treated with HFNC, evaluate changes in EOB secondary to the administration of supplemental medical therapies used in conjunction with HFNC, and compare different physiologic metrics for quantifying EOB in patients on HFNC.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All participants less than or equal to three years old admitted to the PICU placed on high flow nasal cannula will be considered eligible for the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants will be excluded if they have a corrected gestational age less than 37 weeks or contraindications to nasoesophageal catheter placement (nasopharyngeal or esophageal abnormalities) or RIP bands (abdominal wall defects such as omphalocele). Patients greater than three years of age will be excluded.