Body position, flow setting, and mouth condition significantly impacted EELV during asymmetric HFNC. The combination of the reverse Trendelenburg, high flow (60 L/min), and mouth closure resulted in the greatest increase in EELV and promoted more homogeneous lung ventilation in healthy subjects. Encouraging nasal breathing and optimizing positioning could enhance the physiological benefits of HFNC.
Appendino et al. (Tue,) studied this question.