None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Nasal high flow (NHF) therapy is an intervention used when combatting respiratory failure and is standard of care. NHF provides respiratory support, via nasal prongs and air flow directed up the nostrils, leading to lung dead space clearance and, additionally, supplemental oxygen can be given if required. While commonly used, the effect of this therapy on the upper airway is not fully understood. In healthy individuals, the openness (patency) of each individual nostril changes throughout the day/night by engorgement of nasal erectile tissue, this is called the nasal cycle. This is thought to be involved in airway humidification and airborne pathogen handling. In this study we want to understand the effect NHF can have on the nasal cycle with two modalities of NHF delivery; via the currently standard nasal cannula with symmetrical prongs and a new interface with asymmetrical prongs. Benchtop experiments have shown that NHF delivered via asymmetrical prongs may be better at dead space clearance (Tatkov et al. 2023), but we have little understanding how this will affect the upper airway physiology. As such we plan to compare the effects of symmetrical and asymmetrical prongs on the nasal cycle and patency.
Interventions
Nasal high flow therapy (NHF) will be applied using an Airvo 3 unit (Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, New Zealand) for three hours via a nasal cannula with symmetrical prongs (current standard of care method; intervention 1) or a new, asymmetrically pronged cannula (intervention 2). The size of the prongs used will be determined by the size of the participants nostrils. The diameter of left prong of the asymmetrical nasal cannula is increased, and the right prong decreased, compared to the standard s
Nasal high flow therapy (NHF) will be applied using an Airvo 3 unit (Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, New Zealand) for three hours via a nasal cannula with symmetrical prongs (current standard of care method; intervention 1) or a new, asymmetrically pronged cannula (intervention 2). The size of the prongs used will be determined by the size of the participants nostrils. The diameter of left prong of the asymmetrical nasal cannula is increased, and the right prong decreased, compared to the standard symmetrical nasal cannula. For NHF therapy, participants will sit at rest while humidified, 37°C air is pumped through the prongs at 30 L/min to provide positive airway pressure. Participants will be supervised by research staff for the duration of each visit. Visits will occur on three consecutive days, at the same time of day.
Sponsors
Massey University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 35 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Participants must be healthy, aged between 18 and 35 years and free of nasal/upper airway pathophysiology.
Exclusion criteria
Participants will be excluded if: - They have any allergies - They have recently (in the last month) had any illness or infection. - They have ever had any surgery or trauma to their nose. - They suffer from asthma or any other respiratory disease. - They have ever been told that they snore loudly. - They have been told that they stop breathing during their sleep. - They have a deviated septum. - They have difficulty breathing through their nose.
Outcome results
None listed