This study suggests that high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy in general respiratory wards may be a potential rescue therapy for patients with respiratory failure. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) potentially monitors patients receiving HFNC therapy.

42 patients were enrolled in this study, and EIT measurements were available for twenty-four patients.

The primary cause of acute hypoxemic respiratory disease was pneumonia, followed by obstructive lung disease and advanced lung cancer. No patient with interstitial lung disease was included in the study subjects.

Ten patients failed HFNC treatment (10 of 42, 24%).

Among them, an advanced lung cancer patient who suffered from pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis with a do-not-intubate order was treated with HFNC oxygen therapy for four days but failed.

Subsequently, she received non-invasive mechanical ventilator support and passed away after one day.

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