Key resource (hospital length of stay) measured in the trial11
| Item of resource use | Early high-flow group | Standard oxygen±rescue high-flow group | Mean difference (95% CI)*x |
| Total HLoS in days | (n=739) | (n=733) | |
| Mean (SD) | 3.12 (2.43) | 2.94 (2.73) | 0.18 (−0.09 to 0.44) |
| Median (IQR) | 2.50 (1.71–3.90) | 2.20 (1.48–3.55) | – |
| HLoS for those who failed treatment and received escalation of care (days) | (n=87) | (n=167) | |
| Mean (SD) | 5.82 (2.77) | 4.95 (4.13) | 0.87 (−0.09 to 1.85) |
| Median (IQR) | 5.37 (3.71–7.31) | 4.0 (2.69–5.81) | – |
| HLoS for those who did not require escalation of care (days) | (n=652) | (n=566) | |
| Mean (SD) | 2.76 (2.14) | 2.35 (1.75) | 0.41 (0.18 to 0.63; p<0.001) |
| Median (IQR) | 2.23 (1.60–3.37) | 1.88 (1.36–2.81) | – |
| HLoS for those who failed treatment and transferred to ICU (days) | (n=87) | (n=65) | |
| Mean (SD) | 5.82 (2.77) | 6.19 (5.30) | −0.36 (−1.67 to 0.95) |
| Median (IQR) | 5.37 (3.71–7.31) | 4.66 (3.06–6.88) | – |
| ICU length of stay (days) | (n=87) | (n=65) | |
| Mean (SD) | 2.63 (1.70) | 2.72 (2.31) | −0.09 (−0.74 to 0.55) |
| Median (IQR) | 2.22 (1.50–3.54) | 2.02 (1.34–2.98) | – |
| Duration of high-flow therapy (days)† | (n=728) | (n=162) | |
| Mean (SD) | 1.85 (1.70) | 2.26 (2.09) | −0.41 (−0.71 to −0.11; p=0.008) |
| Median (IQR) | 1.38 (0.74–2.40) | 1.62 (1.04–2.70) |
*Student’s t-test of independent samples was used.
†Data on the duration of high-flow therapy were missing for 3 patients in the standard oxygen group and 11 in the high-flow group.
HLoS, total hospital length of stay—ie, in general ward and intensive care unit (ICU); IQR, interquartile range; SD, standard deviation.