High-Flow Nasal Cannula and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in Infants With Acute Bronchiolitis-Trends of Use in Norway.

AIM: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) are options for respiratory support in infants with bronchiolitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of HFNC and CPAP in infants with bronchiolitis at five hospitals in Norway to study time trends over seasons and differences in use between hospitals.

METHODS

In this multicentre retrospective study, we compared data from 1186 infants < 12 months of age hospitalized for bronchiolitis at five Norwegian hospitals during the winter seasons 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2021-2022.

RESULTS

Over the three seasons, HFNC was provided to 29%-33% and CPAP to 8%-18% of all infants, but with a substantial difference between hospitals for both modalities. The change between seasons was less prominent but also differed between hospitals. The length of stay was longer, and the age and weight were lower in those receiving any non-invasive respiratory support, but this did not differ between infants treated with HFNC or CPAP.

CONCLUSION

In Norwegian hospitals there was a substantial variation in the use of HFNC and CPAP for infants with bronchiolitis. This calls for unified and evidence-based guidelines for the use of non-invasive respiratory support for this patient group.