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Updated: Aug 9, 2026

Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus
06:15

Protocol and Guidelines for Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Diagnosing Neonatal Pulmonary Diseases Based on International Expert Consensus

Published on: March 6, 2019

Neonatal respiratory support and lung function abnormalities at follow-up

B Yuksel1, A Greenough

  • 1Department of Child Health, King's College Hospital, London, U.K.

Respiratory Medicine
|March 1, 1992
PubMed

Insights

Infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) treated with oxygen alone showed normal lung function. This suggests oxygen therapy, unlike mechanical ventilation, does not independently impair premature infant lung development.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Respiratory Physiology

Background:

  • Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a common condition in preterm infants.
  • Treatment strategies for RDS include increased inspired oxygen and mechanical ventilation.
  • The long-term effects of different RDS treatments on infant lung function require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if RDS treatment with increased inspired oxygen concentration, without mechanical ventilation, leads to impaired lung function or increased respiratory symptoms.
  • To compare lung function and respiratory symptoms in infants treated with oxygen alone versus those who received mechanical ventilation or had no RDS.

Main Methods:

  • Measured thoracic gas volume (TGV) and airways resistance (RAW) in eight preterm infants (median gestational age 29 weeks) at 6 and 12 months.
  • Compared these infants to two control groups: eight preterm infants who required mechanical ventilation for RDS and eight infants with no history of RDS, matched for gestational age.
  • Recorded the occurrence of recurrent respiratory symptoms in all three groups.

Main Results:

  • Infants treated with oxygen alone had lung function similar to infants without RDS.
  • Airways resistance was significantly lower in the oxygen-treated group compared to the ventilated group at 6 months, but not at 12 months.
  • No significant differences in recurrent respiratory symptoms were observed between the groups, though ventilated infants had more symptoms in the first 6 months.

Conclusions:

  • Oxygen therapy alone for RDS in preterm infants does not appear to cause lung function impairment independent of prematurity.
  • Mechanical ventilation for RDS may be associated with longer-term differences in airway resistance compared to oxygen therapy alone.
  • Prematurity is a significant factor influencing long-term lung function in infants treated for RDS.

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