Respiratory support strategies for the preterm newborn - National survey 2008

Respiratory support strategies for the preterm newborn have been the subject of intense research.

To survey neonatal respiratory support practices in Portugal and to determine whether they reflect evidence from randomised trials.

Questionnaires were given out to 31 Portuguese neonatal units to determine the types of ventilators, modes of ventilation, lung function monitoring, use of exogenous surfactant, oxygen saturation levels used and the prevalence of chronic lung disease in the preterm newborn.

There was a 94% response rate. Draeger babylog was the most frequently used ventilator in neonates. Twelve (41%) units prefer to use early nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) whenever possible. Triggered ventilation is the choice of invasive ventilation in 24 (83%) units (SIMV, SIPPV, PSV); four (14%) units have high frequency oscillation ventilation. SIMV is the most frequent (n=13, 45%) weaning mode. Exogenous surfactant is used as prophylactic in 12 (41%) units. All units use lung function measurements to aid choice of ventilator settings and five (17%) units monitor PaCO2 (transcutaneous = 3; capnometry = 2). Seventeen (59%) units allow oxygen saturation levels from 90% to 95% in infants with respiratory distress syndrome and 15 (52%) levels from 85% to 90% in infants with chronic lung disease. Prevalence of chronic lung disease of prematurity ranged from 0% to 75% (median: 10).

Many respiratory strategies for extremely low birth weight infants reflect the result of large randomised trials. More effective methods may be required to encourage the use of early NCPAP preferably with binasal prongs, the use of SIPPV as the main weaning mode, the use of volume targeted ventilation and a more judicious use of exogenous surfactant in order to ensure evidence-based practice.