End-tidal carbon dioxide levels during resuscitation and carbon dioxide levels in the immediate neonatal period and intraventricular haemorrhage.

Abnormal levels of end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) during resuscitation in the delivery suite are associated with intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) development. Our aim was to determine whether carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the first 3 days after birth reflected abnormal EtCO2 levels in the delivery suite, and hence, a prolonged rather than an early insult resulted in IVH. In addition, we determined if greater EtCO2level fluctuations during resuscitation occurred in infants who developed IVH. EtCO2 levels during delivery suite resuscitation and CO2 levels on the neonatal unit were evaluated in 58 infants (median gestational age 27.3 weeks). Delta EtCO2 was the difference between the highest and lowest level of EtCO2. Thirteen infants developed a grade 3-4 IVH (severe group). There were no significant differences in CO2 levels between those who did and did not develop an IVH (or severe IVH) on the NICU. The delta EtCO2 during resuscitation differed between infants with any IVH (6.2 (5.4-7.5) kPa) or no IVH (3.8 (2.7-4.3) kPA) (p < 0.001) after adjusting for differences in gestational age. Delta EtCO2 levels gave an area under the ROC curve of 0.940 for prediction of IVH.Conclusion: The results emphasize the importance of monitoring EtCO2 levels in the delivery suite.What is Known:• Abnormal levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the first few days after birth and abnormal end-tidal CO2levels (EtCO2) levels during resuscitation are associated in preterm infants with the risk of developing intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH).What is New:• There were no significant differences in NICU CO2levels between those who developed an IVH or no IVH.• There was a poor correlation between delivery suite ETCO2levels and NICU CO2levels.• Large fluctuations in EtCO2during resuscitation in the delivery suite were highly predictive of IVH development in preterm infants.

Relationship of resuscitation, respiratory function monitoring data and outcomes in preterm infants.

Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are major complications of premature birth. We tested the hypotheses that prematurely born infants who developed an IVH or BPD would have high expiratory tidal volumes (VTE) (VTE > 6 ml/kg) and/or low-end tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) levels (ETCO2 levels < 4.5 kPa) as recorded by respiratory function monitoring or hyperoxia (oxygen saturation (SaO2) > 95%) during resuscitation in the delivery suite. Seventy infants, median gestational age 27 weeks (range 23-33), were assessed; 31 developed an IVH and 43 developed BPD. Analysis was undertaken of 31,548 inflations. The duration of resuscitation did not differ significantly between the groups. Those who developed an IVH compared to those who did not had a greater number of inflations with a high VTE and a low ETCO2, which remained significant after correcting for differences in gestational age and birth weight between groups (p = 0.019). Differences between infants who did and did not develop BPD were not significant after correcting for differences in gestational age and birth weight. There were no significant differences in the duration of hyperoxia between the groups.Conclusions: Avoidance of high tidal volumes and hypocarbia in the delivery suite might reduce IVH development. What is known • Hypocarbia on the neonatal unit is associated with the development of intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). What is new • Infants who developed an IVH compared to those who did not had significantly more inflations with high expiratory tidal volumes and low ETCO2s.

Persistent unilateral white-out in preterm infant.

We would like to present a case of persistent right sided collapse in a preterm baby with an unexpected diagnosis. Baby X was born floppy requiring resuscitation and was intubated, ventilated and was transferred to NICU. There was decreased air entry on auscultation of right side of the chest, while the rest of the examination was normal. The chest X-ray showed right side white-out suggestive of collapse consolidation. She required significantly high ventilatory pressures to maintain saturations and chest X-ray performed on day 4 remained unchanged with persistent right sided white-out. The CT scan of the chest showed no definable right lung, right pulmonary artery or right main bronchus. The diagnosis of right lung agenesis with single pulmonary artery was made and baby was found to have more congenital malformations on further investigations, and later developed complications leading to palliative care.

Updates on Functional Characterization of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia - The Contribution of Lung Function Testing.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease that predominantly affects prematurely born infants. Initially, BPD was described in infants who had suffered severe respiratory failure and required high pressure, mechanical ventilation with high concentrations of supplementary oxygen. Now, it also occurs in very prematurely born infants who initially had minimal or even no signs of lung disease. These differences impact the nature of the lung function abnormalities suffered by "BPD" infants, which are also influenced by the criteria used to diagnose BPD and the oxygen saturation level used to determine the supplementary oxygen requirement. Key also to interpreting lung function data in this population is whether appropriate lung function tests have been used and in an adequately sized population to make meaningful conclusions. It should also be emphasized that BPD is a poor predictor of long-term respiratory morbidity. Bearing in mind those caveats, studies have consistently demonstrated that infants who develop BPD have low compliance and functional residual capacities and raised resistances in the neonatal period. There is, however, no agreement with regard to which early lung function measurement predicts the development of BPD, likely reflecting different techniques were used in different populations in often underpowered studies. During infancy, lung function generally improves, but importantly airflow limitation persists and small airway function appears to decline. Improvements in lung function following administration of diuretics or bronchodilators have not translated into long-term improvements in respiratory outcomes. By contrast, early differences in lung function related to different ventilation modes have led to investigation and demonstration that prophylactic, neonatal high-frequency oscillation appears to protect small airway function.