The Influence of Airflow Via High-Flow Nasal Cannula on Duration of Laryngeal Vestibule Closure.
Katie Allen, Kristine Galek
PMID 33006075WHAT IT FOUND
In healthy young adults, higher airflow from a high-flow nasal cannula significantly increased the time the airway remained closed during swallowing.
No aspiration occurred at any airflow level, and airway protection scores remained stable despite the change in closure duration.
Key findings
01Increased airflow via HFNC significantly increased the duration of laryngeal vestibule closure in a dose-dependent manner.
02Airway invasion (penetration and aspiration) did not change significantly across airflow conditions, with no aspiration events recorded.
03Participants reported subjective difficulty swallowing at higher airflow rates, and closure duration became more variable at 50 and 60 LPM.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study included only healthy young adults, so results may not generalize to older adults or patients with existing dysphagia or respiratory compromise. The sample was predominantly female (23 of 29), limiting conclusions about sex differences. Interrater reliability for PAS scores was low (22%), although intrarater reliability was acceptable. Eleven cases were removed due to recording errors, reducing the final sample size from 40 to 29.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the University of Nevada, Reno. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that HFNC is safe for all patients based on this study. The participants were healthy young adults with intact swallowing mechanisms. Patients with impaired laryngeal vestibule closure or existing dysphagia may not be able to adapt their closure duration in response to airflow, potentially increasing their risk of aspiration.