What Is the Role of High-Flow Nasal Oxygen Therapy in Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Intensive Care at the Akanda Armed Forces Training Hospital (HIAA)?
Introduction: To describe the experience of the intensive care unit at the Akanda Army Training Hospital (HIAA) in the use of HDNO for the treatment of ARDS. PatientsandMethods: This was a mixed (retrospective and prospective) study, with both descriptive and analytical objectives, conducted using a cross-sectional data collection method, carried out in the HIAA intensive care unit over a period of 29 months (April 2023 to August 2025). Clinical and laboratory data were collected from ARDS patients, both those who received invasive ventilation and those who did not. Statistical analysis of these data was performed using IBM SPSS software. Results: Twenty-seven patients were included, with a mean age of 47 years and an age range of 14 to 81 years. The distribution of mild, moderate and severe ARDS was 11%, 52% and 37% respectively. HDNO prevented the use of mechanical ventilation in all patients with mild ARDS, in 93% of patients with moderate ARDS, and in 30% of patients with severe ARDS. The mortality rate was 33.4%, with 80% of these deaths occurring in patients with severe ARDS. Conclusion: Although this study does not provide conclusive evidence of the effectiveness of HRNO in the management of ARDS, this pioneering study in sub-Saharan Africa indicates that, under certain conditions, the use of HRNO in selected cases of moderate to severe ARDS may represent a viable alternative.
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