There is a growing body of literature evaluating the role of high-flow nasal oxygen in acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, particularly in comparison with standard oxygen therapy and noninvasive ventilation.
Based on my own clinical experience, high-flow oxygen may offer improved patient tolerance and comfort compared with noninvasive ventilation. A recent randomized, multicenter, open-label trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine further examined the effectiveness of high-flow oxygen versus standard oxygen therapy in this population. While the study did not demonstrate a significant reduction in 28-day mortality, it did show a lower incidence of intubation by day 28 in the high-flow oxygen group (42.4%) compared with the standard oxygen group (48.4%).