Effects of synchronization during noninvasive intermittent mandatory ventilation in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome immediately after extubation

Noninvasive ventilation is increasingly used in very-low-birth-weight infants (VLBWI) to reduce complications that occur with invasive ventilation. However, the physiological effects of synchronization during noninvasive nasal intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV) have not been tested in VLBWI immediately after extubation.

We aimed to study the short-term effects of synchronized nasal IMV (S-NIMV) compared to nonsynchronized nasal IMV (NIMV) on breathing effort as measured by phasic esophageal pressure (Pe) deflection, spontaneous respiratory rate (RR), gas exchange, cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (StO 2) and intermittent episodes of bradycardia or hypoxemia in VLBWI recovering from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

Fourteen VLBWI recovering from RDS were studied using a randomized cross-over design during both S-NIMV and NIMV (of 2 h each …