OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the introduction of heated humidified high-flow nasal
cannulae (HFNC) therapy was associated with decreased rates of intubation for infants< 24
months old with bronchiolitis admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). STUDY
DESIGN: A retrospective chart review of infants with bronchiolitis admitted before and in the
season after introduction of HFNC. RESULTS: In the season after the introduction of HFNC,
only 9% of infants admitted to the PICU with bronchiolitis required intubation, compared with …

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) with or without heliumoxygen blends has
gained favor as a way to decrease work of breathing and prevent endotracheal intubation in
children with progressive hypoxemia or hypercarbia. However, a systematic review found
the evidence regarding CPAP for bronchiolitis to be inconclusive because of methodologic
limitations in the existing studies.