Title Respiratory support effects over time on regional lung ventilation assessed by electrical impedance tomography in premature infants /
Authors Viršilas, Ernestas ; Valiulis, Arūnas ; Kubilius, Raimondas ; Pečiulienė, Skaistė ; Liubšys, Arūnas
DOI 10.3390/medicina60030494
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Is Part of Medicina.. Basel : MDPI. 2024, vol. 60, iss. 3, art. no. 494, p. [1-12].. ISSN 1010-660X. eISSN 1648-9144
Keywords [eng] respiratory distress syndrome ; mechanical ventilation ; high-flow nasal cannula ; continuous positive airway pressure ; electrical impedance tomography ; preterm newborns
Abstract [eng] Background and objectives: Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) frequently necessitates respiratory support. While non-invasive methods are typically the preferred approach, mechanical ventilation becomes necessary for patients with insufficient response. Our study aimed to compare two common respiratory support modes, volume-targeted mechanical ventilation and non-invasive ventilation continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC), using electrical impedance tomography. Materials and Methods: Infants with very low birth weight and gestational ages of less than 32 weeks were eligible for inclusion in the study. All enrolled infants were beyond the transitional period (>72 h of age). The infants were divided into two groups: infants receiving invasive respiratory support through an endotracheal tube and infants receiving non-invasive respiratory support. We used electrical impedance tomography to assess end-expiratory lung impedance (EELZ), DeltaZ, heterogeneity, and regional ventilation distribution. Patients were evaluated at 0, 30, and 60 min after assuming the supine position to examine potential time-related effects. Results: Our study initially enrolled 97 infants, and the final analysis included a cohort of 72 infants. Ventilated infants exhibited significantly larger EELZ compared to their non-invasive counterparts (p = 0.026). DeltaZ was also greater in the invasive respiratory support group (p < 0.001). Heterogeneity was higher in the non-invasive group and did not change significantly over time. The non-invasive group demonstrated significantly greater ventilation in the dependent lung areas compared to intubated patients (p = 0.005). Regional distribution in the left lung was lower than in the right lung in both groups; however, this difference was significantly more pronounced in intubated patients (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our study revealed that volume-targeted mechanical ventilation results in higher EELZ and DeltaZ compared to spontaneously breathing infants receiving noninvasive respiratory support. However, lung heterogeneity was lower during mechanical ventilation. Our study also reaffirmed that spontaneous breathing promotes greater involvement of the dependent lung compared to mechanical ventilation.
Published Basel : MDPI
Type Journal article
Language English
Publication date 2024
CC license CC license description