Usefulness of the minute ventilation test in predicting successful extubation in newborn infants: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
We performed a prospective, randomized clinical trial to compare the usefulness of the minute ventilation test (MVT) with clinical judgement in predicting readiness for extubation in preterm newborns with respiratory distress syndrome requiring surfactant therapy and mechanical ventilation.


METHODS
A total of 42 preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome were randomized when they reached preselected ventilator settings. The primary outcome measure was the time from study entry to extubation, provided the infant remained extubated for at least 24 hours.


RESULTS
Infants evaluated by the MVT were extubated in a significantly shorter period of time (mean of 8 hours) than those evaluated clinically (mean of 36 hours). The extubation failure rate was similar in the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The MVT is an easily performed objective measure that can be used to predict readiness for extubation in preterm infants. In this study, it significantly shortened the time for extubation and was not associated with a higher rate of reintubation.
Department of Neonatal Medicine, The James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, UK.
Lorna M
LM
Gillespie
Simon D
SD
White
Sunil K
SK
Sinha
Steven M
SM
Donn
D020878:Device Removal; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests