A comparative study of HHHFNC and NCPAP in preventing reintubation in extreme preterm infants born at less than 30-week gestation

Peri-extubation settings in preterm neonates: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review: 1) peri-extubation settings; and 2) association between peri-extubation settings and outcomes in preterm neonates.

STUDY DESIGN

In this systematic review, studies were eligible if they reported patient-data on peri-extubation settings (objective 1) and/or evaluated peri-extubation levels in relation to clinical outcomes (objective 2). Data were meta-analyzed when appropriate using random-effects model.

RESULTS

Of 9681 titles, 376 full-texts were reviewed and 101 included. The pooled means of peri-extubation settings were summarized. For objective 2, three experimental studies were identified comparing post-extubation CPAP levels. Meta-analyses revealed lower odds for treatment failure [pooled OR 0.46 (95% CI 0.27-0.76); 3 studies, 255 participants] but not for re-intubation [pooled OR 0.66 (0.22-1.97); 3 studies, 255 participants] with higher vs. lower CPAP.

CONCLUSIONS

Summary of peri-extubation settings may guide clinicians in their own practices. Higher CPAP levels may reduce extubation failure, but more data on peri-extubation settings that optimize outcomes are needed.

The Intertemporal Role of Respiratory Support in Improving Neonatal Outcomes: A Narrative Review

Defining improvements in healthcare can be challenging due to the need to assess multiple outcomes and measures. In neonates, although progress in respiratory support has been a key factor in improving survival, the same degree of improvement has not been documented in certain outcomes, such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia. By exploring the evolution of neonatal respiratory care over the last 60 years, this review highlights not only the scientific advances that occurred with the application of invasive mechanical ventilation but also the weakness of the existing knowledge. The contributing role of non-invasive ventilation and less-invasive surfactant administration methods as well as of certain pharmacological therapies is also discussed. Moreover, we analyze the cost-benefit of neonatal care-respiratory support and present future challenges and perspectives.

High-flow nasal cannula as a post-extubation respiratory support strategy in preterm infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness and complications caused by the use of the high-flow nasal cannula in relation to the post-extubation continuous positive airway pressure system in preterm newborns.

DATA SOURCES

The searches were performed from January 2013 to December 2018 in the PubMed and Embase databases, as well as a manual search on the internet.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Two reviewers independently conducted the search, and a third reviewer resolved questions that arose. Ninety-eight articles from the chosen sources were evaluated, and 66 were discarded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria (inadequate topic, age range, or design, in addition to the duplicates). Fifteen articles were read in full, and five more were discarded due to inadequacy to the topic or design. There were ten articles left for systematic review and four for meta-analysis. The study showed non-inferiority in terms of therapeutic failure of the high-flow nasal cannula in relation to continuous positive airway pressure after extubation of preterm newborns. In the meta-analysis, nasal trauma was significantly lower in patients submitted to the high-flow nasal cannula compared to those using continuous positive airway pressure (p<0.00001).

CONCLUSION

The high-flow nasal cannula is not inferior to continuous positive airway pressure for post-extubation respiratory support in preterm newborns with a gestational age of 32 weeks or less and greater than 28 weeks, in addition to resulting in less nasal trauma.