Oxygen therapy humidification: study of the efficiency

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the clinical practice of using humidifiers during oxygen therapy, compare the efficacy and safety of reusable vs. disposable models, and study their impact on clinical parameters and costs. Materials and methods: Single-center study (tertiary hospital, Spain) with two components: 1. Qualitative survey of 29 healthcare professionals on the cleaning and disinfection of reusable humidifiers. 2. Controlled experimental study measuring humidity, temperature, and noise in seven humidifiers (1 reusable, 6 disposable) under oxygen flows ranging from 0-15 liters per minute. Results: - Clinical practice: Only 13.79% of professionals performed daily cleaning; none complied with daily high-level disinfection. - Technical performance: All humidifiers significantly improved humidity compared to unhumidified direct flow (p<0.01), but increased noise at high flow rates (≥10 lpm), exceeding 60 dB. - Safety: Disposable humidifiers showed a lower microbiological risk. - Cost: Disposable humidifiers were more cost-effective than reusable humidifiers. Discussion: Non-compliance with humidifier cleaning and disinfection protocols exists, posing risks to patient safety. Disposable humidifiers offer cost-efficiency advantages and improve patient safety and comfort by increasing the humidity percentage at any flow rate; however, they cause significant noise at flow rates above 10 lpm. Conclusions: It is recommended to implement standardized protocols, provide ongoing training, and prioritize the purchase of disposable humidifiers for use with oxygen therapy at any flow rate.