Nasal continuous positive airway pressure. Improvement in arterial oxygenation in hyaline membrane disease

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was employed using nasal prongs in 30 neonates with hyaline membrane disease (HMD). There was a significant improvement in mean PaO2 (from 47 to 80 mmHg;p less than 0.001) with no significant change in PaCO2 or pH within a mean 36 min of therapy. Use of the technique allowed reduction of FiO2 to less than 0.60 in less than 20 h in 18 infants. Infants treated within 24 h of birth had significantly greater improvements in PaO2. Complications were infrequent and only 3 of 30 babies developed a pneumothorax while on nasal CPAP. Only 1 of the 23 survivors required mechanical ventilation in addition to nasal CPAP.