PEDIATRICS Vol. 114 No. 3 September 2004, pp. 651-657 (doi:10.1542/10.1542/peds.2004-0394)
Delivery Room Continuous Positive Airway Pressure/Positive End-Expiratory Pressure in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants: A Feasibility Trial


* Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, California
Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama
Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
|| Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
¶ Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
# National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland
** Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
Objective. Although earlier studies have suggested that early continuous airway positive pressure (CPAP) may be beneficial in reducing ventilator dependence and subsequent chronic lung disease in the extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infant, the time of initiation of CPAP has varied, and there are no prospective studies of infants who have received CPAP or positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) from initial resuscitation in the delivery room (DR). Current practice for the ELBW infant includes early intubation and the administration of prophylactic surfactant, often in the DR. The feasibility of initiating CPAP in the DR and continuing this therapy without intubation for surfactant has never been determined prospectively in a population of ELBW infants. This study was designed to determine the feasibility of randomizing ELBW infants of <28 weeks gestation to CPAP/PEEP or no CPAP/PEEP during resuscitation immediately after delivery, avoiding routine DR intubation for surfactant administration, initiating CPAP on neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, and assessing compliance with subsequent intubation criteria.
Methods. Infants who were of <28 weeks gestation, who were born in 5 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network NICUs from July 2002 to January 2003, and for whom a decision had been made to provide full treatment after birth were randomized to receive either CPAP/PEEP or not using a neonatal T-piece resuscitator (NeoPuff). Infants would not be intubated for the sole purpose of surfactant administration in the DR. After admission to the NICU, all nonintubated infants were placed on CPAP and were to be intubated for surfactant administration only after meeting specific criteria: a fraction of inspired oxygen of >0.3 with an oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter of <90% and/or an arterial oxygen pressure of <45 mm Hg, an arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide of >55 mm Hg, or apnea requiring bag and mask ventilation.
Results. A total of 104 infants were enrolled over a 6-month period: 55 CPAP and 49 control infants. No infant was intubated in the DR for the exclusive purpose of surfactant administration. Forty-seven infants were intubated for resuscitation in the DR: 27 of 55 CPAP infants and 20 of 49 control infants. Only 4 of the 43 infants who had a birth weight of <700 g and 3 of the 37 infants of <25 weeks gestation were resuscitated successfully without positive pressure ventilation, and no difference was observed between the treatment groups. All infants of 23 weeks gestation required intubation in the DR, irrespective of treatment group, whereas only 3 (14%) of 21 infants of 27 weeks required such intubation. For infants who were not intubated in the DR, 36 infants (16 CPAP infants and 20 control infants) were subsequently intubated in the NICU by day 7, in accordance with the protocol. Overall, 80% of studied infants required intubation within the first 7 days of life. The care provided for 52 (95%) of 55 CPAP infants and 43 (88%) of the 49 control infants was in compliance with the study protocol, with an overall compliance of 91%.
Conclusions. This study demonstrated that infants could be randomized successfully to a DR intervention of CPAP/PEEP compared with no CPAP/PEEP, with intubation provided only for resuscitation indications, and subsequent intubation for prespecified criteria. Forty-five percent (47 of 104) of infants <28 weeks gestation required intubation for resuscitation in the DR. CPAP/PEEP in the DR did not affect the need for intubation at birth or during the subsequent week. Overall, 20% of infants did not need intubation by 7 days of life. This experience should be helpful in facilitating the design of subsequent prospective studies of ventilatory support in ELBW infants.
Key Words: premature ELBW resuscitation CPAP PEEP intubation surfactant
Abbreviations: CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure VLBW, very low birth weight DR, delivery room CLD, chronic lung disease ELBW, extremely low birth weight NICU, neonatal intensive care unit PEEP, positive end-expiratory pressure PPV, positive pressure ventilation PIP, peak inspiratory pressure SpO2, oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter FIO2, fraction of inspired oxygen PaCO2, arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide
Accepted Mar 4, 2004.
![]()
CiteULike
Connotea
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Technorati
Twitter What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
A. Kugelman International Perspectives: Nasal Ventilation in Preterm Infants: An Israeli Perspective NeoReviews, April 1, 2009; 10(4): e157 - e165. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. Laughon, E. N. Allred, C. Bose, T. M. O'Shea, L. J. Van Marter, R. A. Ehrenkranz, A. Leviton, and for the ELGAN Study Investigators Patterns of Respiratory Disease During the First 2 Postnatal Weeks in Extremely Premature Infants Pediatrics, April 1, 2009; 123(4): 1124 - 1131. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. J. Birenbaum, A. Dentry, J. Cirelli, S. Helou, M. A. Pane, K. Starr, C. F. Melick, L. Updegraff, C. Arnold, A. Tamayo, et al. Reduction in the Incidence of Chronic Lung Disease in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: Results of a Quality Improvement Process in a Tertiary Level Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Pediatrics, January 1, 2009; 123(1): 44 - 50. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Bry Newborn Resuscitation and the Lung NeoReviews, November 1, 2008; 9(11): e506 - e512. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. E. Tyson, N. A. Parikh, J. Langer, C. Green, R. D. Higgins, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human D Intensive Care for Extreme Prematurity -- Moving beyond Gestational Age N. Engl. J. Med., April 17, 2008; 358(16): 1672 - 1681. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J P Wyllie Neonatal endotracheal intubation Arch. Dis. Child. Ed. Pract., April 1, 2008; 93(2): 44 - 49. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. P F O'Donnell, C O. F Kamlin, P. G Davis, and C. J Morley Ethical and legal aspects of video recording neonatal resuscitation Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed., March 1, 2008; 93(2): F82 - F84. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. J. Morley, P. G. Davis, L. W. Doyle, L. P. Brion, J.-M. Hascoet, J. B. Carlin, and the COIN Trial Investigators Nasal CPAP or Intubation at Birth for Very Preterm Infants N. Engl. J. Med., February 14, 2008; 358(7): 700 - 708. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. A. Engle and and the Committee on Fetus and Newborn Surfactant-Replacement Therapy for Respiratory Distress in the Preterm and Term Neonate Pediatrics, February 1, 2008; 121(2): 419 - 432. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Geary, M. Caskey, R. Fonseca, and M. Malloy Decreased Incidence of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia After Early Management Changes, Including Surfactant and Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment at Delivery, Lowered Oxygen Saturation Goals, and Early Amino Acid Administration: A Historical Cohort Study Pediatrics, January 1, 2008; 121(1): 89 - 96. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. B. te Pas and F. J. Walther A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Delivery-Room Respiratory Management in Very Preterm Infants Pediatrics, August 1, 2007; 120(2): 322 - 329. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. Aly Is There a Strategy for Preventing Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia? Absence of Evidence Is Not Evidence of Absence Pediatrics, April 1, 2007; 119(4): 818 - 820. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N Finer To intubate or not--that is the question: continuous positive airway pressure versus surfactant and extremely low birthweight infants. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed., November 1, 2006; 91(6): F392 - F394. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C Booth, M H Premkumar, A Yannoulis, M Thomson, M Harrison, and A D Edwards Sustainable use of continuous positive airway pressure in extremely preterm infants during the first week after delivery Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed., November 1, 2006; 91(6): F398 - F402. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C P F O'Donnell, A T Gibson, and P G Davis Pinching, electrocution, ravens' beaks, and positive pressure ventilation: a brief history of neonatal resuscitation. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed., September 1, 2006; 91(5): F369 - F373. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitati The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) Consensus on Science With Treatment Recommendations for Pediatric and Neonatal Patients: Neonatal Resuscitation Pediatrics, May 1, 2006; 117(5): e978 - e988. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Part 7: Neonatal Resuscitation Circulation, November 29, 2005; 112(22_suppl): III-91 - III-99. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. Aly, A. N. Massaro, K. Patel, and A. A. E. El-Mohandes Is It Safer to Intubate Premature Infants in the Delivery Room? Pediatrics, June 1, 2005; 115(6): 1660 - 1665. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. A. Thomson Early Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure To Minimize The Need for Endotracheal Intubation and Ventilation NeoReviews, April 1, 2005; 6(4): e184 - e188. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I. Hand and L. Noble Delivery Room Continuous Positive Airway Pressure: Practice and Feasibility Pediatrics, January 1, 2005; 115(1): 197 - 198. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||










