Prediction of high-flow nasal cannula outcomes at the early phase using the modified respiratory rate oxygenation index.

BACKGROUND

This study was designed to explore the early predictive value of the respiratory rate oxygenation (ROX) index modified by PaO2 (mROX) in high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy in patients with acute hypoxemia respiratory failure (AHRF).

METHOD: Seventy-five patients with AHRF treated with HFNC were retrospectively reviewed. Respiratory parameters at baseline and 2 h after HFNC initiation were analyzed. The predictive value of the ROX (ratio of pulse oximetry/FIO2 to respiratory rate) and mROX (ratio of arterial oxygen /FIO2 to respiratory rate) indices with two variations by adding heart rate to each index (ROX-HR and mROX-HR) was evaluated.

RESULTS

HFNC therapy failed in 24 patients, who had significantly higher intensive care unit (ICU) mortality and longer ICU stay. Both the ROX and mROX indices at 2 h after HFNC initiation can predict the risk of intubation after HFNC. Two hours after HFNC initiation, the mROX index had a higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for predicting HFNC success than the ROX index. Besides, baseline mROX index of greater than 7.1 showed a specificity of 100% for HFNC success.

CONCLUSION

The mROX index may be a suitable predictor of HFNC therapy outcomes at the early phase in patients with AHRF.