The use of mechanical ventilation protocols in Canadian neonatal intensive care units

To identify the proportion of Canadian neonatal intensive care units with existing mechanical ventilation protocols and to determine the characteristics and respiratory care practices of units that have adopted such protocols.

A structured survey including 36 questions about mechanical ventilation protocols and respiratory care practices was mailed to the medical directors of all tertiary care neonatal units in Canada and circulated between December 2012 and March 2013.

Twenty-four of 32 units responded to the survey (75%). Of the respondents, 91% were medical directors and 71% worked in university hospitals. Nine units (38%) had at least one type of mechanical ventilation protocol, most commonly for the acute and weaning phases. Units with pre-existing protocols were more commonly university-affiliated and had higher ratios of ventilated patients to physicians or respiratory therapists, although this did not reach statistical significance. The presence of a mechanical ventilation protocol was highly correlated with the coexistence of a protocol for noninvasive ventilation (P<0.001, OR 4.5 [95% CI 1.3 to 15.3]). There were overall wide variations in ventilation practices across units. However, units with mechanical ventilation protocols were significantly more likely to extubate neonates from the assist control mode (P=0.039, OR 8.25 [95% CI 1.2 to 59]).

Despite the lack of compelling evidence to support their use in neonates, a considerable number of Canadian neonatal intensive care units have adopted mechanical ventilation protocols. More research is needed to better understand their role in reducing unnecessary variations in practice and improving short- and long-term outcomes.