Heated and humidified high flow therapy (HHHFT) in extreme and very preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS): a retrospective cohort from a tertiary care setting in Pakistan

OBJECTIVE

To determine the role of heated humidified high flow therapy (HHHFT) as primary respiratory support in spontaneously breathing moderate-late, very and extreme preterm neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) at a tertiary care hospital from a developing country.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Neonatal intensive care unit of Indus Hospital and Health Network, Karachi, Pakistan.

PATIENTS

All preterm neonates with RDS and who received HHHFT as primary respiratory support were included retrospectively, while neonates with orofacial anomalies, congenital heart and lung diseases other than RDS, abdominal wall defects, encephalopathy, congenital pneumonia and received continuous positive airway pressure or invasive ventilation were excluded.

INTERVENTIONS

HHHFT as primary respiratory support for RDS.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Effectiveness, duration, failure rate and complications of HHHFT as a primary respiratory support in moderate-late, very and extremely preterm neonates were evaluated.

RESULTS

The cohort included 138 neonates during a period of 12 months. The median gestational age was 32 weeks, and the median birth weight was 1607 g. Grade 1-2 RDS was seen in 97%, surfactant instillation was done in 10.8% and HHHFT was provided in all the neonates as primary respiratory support. The total duration of HHHFT support was <1 week in 94% of neonates. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia and pneumothorax until discharge or death were observed in one neonate, haemodynamically significant Patent Ductus Artriosus (HsPDA) in two neonates and intraventricular haemorrhage Grade ≥2 in five neonates, while only one neonate died.

CONCLUSION

This study appears to show that HHHFT is a simple, safe, efficient and cheap mode of primary respiratory support that can be given to spontaneously breathing moderate-late, very and extremely preterm neonates with RDS, especially in low- or middle-income countries.

A systematic review, meta-analysis and economic evaluation on Neonatal cpap

The review mainly focuses on the goals to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of neonatal CPAP in a decrease of Mortality, Length of Stay, Respiratory support, Extubation and Intubation. Introduction: Inclusion criteria: This review is conducted in neonates with respiratory failure, Pneumonia sepsis, necrotizing infections, Pneumothorax, Broncho pulmonary distress, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), COVID-19, and other comorbidities also included.

Methods: The databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane were used in this review. Depending on inclusion criteria the full-text articles were assessed and chosen studies were recovered by methodological quality.

Results: one twenty-six studies are retrieved which met the inclusion criteria and the extracted studies were pooled statistically and their outcomes were measured. All the studies explain the efficacy of CPAP by reducing Mortality, Length of Stay, Respiratory support, Extubation and Intubation.

Conclusion: Currently the evidence states that CPAP reduces Mortality, Length of Stay, Respiratory support, Extubation and Intubation

High-flow nasal cannula versus continuous positive airway pressure in primary respiratory support for preterm infants: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Respiratory support is crucial for the survival of preterm infants, and High-flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy (HFNC) and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) are commonly used for neonatal respiratory support. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of HFNC and CPAP in primary respiratory support for preterm infants, to provide evidence-based support for clinical practice. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, CNKI, VIP, WANFANG and SinoMed were searched for eligible studies. The primary outcomes included the incidence of treatment failure and the application of mechanical ventilation. A total of 27 eligible studies with 3,351 participants were included. There was no significant difference in the incidence of respiratory support failure [RR = 1.17, 95%CI (0.88-1.56)] and the application of mechanical ventilation [RR = 1.00, 95%CI (0.84-1.19)] between HFNC group and CPAP group. HFNC resulted in lower rate of air leaks [RR = 0.65, 95%CI (0.46-0.92)], nasal trauma [RR = 0.36, 95%CI (0.29-0.45)] and abdominal distension [RR = 0.39, 95%CI (0.27-0.58)], and later time of mechanical ventilation initiating [SMD = 0.60, 95%CI (0.21-0.99)], less duration of oxygen therapy [SMD = -0.35, 95%CI (-0.68 to -0.02)] and earlier enteral feeding [SMD = -0.54, 95%CI (-0.95 to -0.13)]. Alternative non-invasive respiratory support after initial treatment failure resulted in no difference in the application of mechanical ventilation between the two groups [RR = 0.99, 95%CI (0.52-1.88)]. HFNC might be more effective and safer in primary respiratory support for preterm infants. Using CPAP as a remedy for the treatment failure of HFNC could not avoid intubation. For premature infants with the gestational age <28 weeks, HFNC as primary respiratory support still needs to be further elucidated. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022313479, identifier: CRD42022313479.

Can high-flow nasal cannula reduce the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia compared with CPAP in preterm infants? A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease that affects the premature lung, and to reduce its incidence has been used non-invasive ventilatory support, such as continuous positive airway (CPAP) and high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC). Thus, the objective of this review was to assess whether the use of high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) compared to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) decreases the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature newborns.

METHODS

The protocol was registered (Prospero: CRD42019136631) and the search was conducted in the MEDLINE, PEDro, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, and LILACS databases, and in the clinical trials registries, until July 2020. We included randomized clinical trials comparing HFNC versus CPAP use in premature infants born at less than 37 weeks of gestational age. The main outcome measures were the development of BPD, air leak syndrome, and nasal injury. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and the GRADE system was used to summarize the evidence recommendations. Meta-analyses were performed using software R.

RESULTS

No difference was found between HFNC or CPAP for the risk of BPD (RR: 1.10; 95% CI: 0.90-1.34), air leak syndrome (RR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.52-2.14), and nasal trauma (RR: 2.00; 95% CI: 0.64-6.25), with a very low level of evidence.

CONCLUSION(S)

The HFNC showed similar results when compared to CPAP in relation to the risk of BPD, air leak syndrome, and nasal injury. In the literature, no randomized clinical trial has been found with BPD as the primary outcome to support possible outcomes.