Delivery room strategies and outcomes in preterm infants with gestational age 24-28 weeks.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of different delivery room strategies on survival, short term morbidity, and outcomes in extremely premature infants.


METHODS
This retrospective cohort study included all preterm infants with a gestational age between 24 and 28 weeks who were born in 1992-1997 (period A; n = 161) and in 1998-2003 (period B; n = 163). In period A, elective intubation was performed. In period B, if spontaneous breathing was present, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) was applied.


RESULTS
Survival rate and the number of never-intubated infants significantly increased in period B. No differences were found concerning short-term morbidity. Among major outcomes, the need for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) surgery and the length of stay were significantly lower in period B. Subgroup analysis showed no significant differences from period A to period B in infants with gestational age 24-26 weeks. In the 27-28 weeks subgroup, the never-intubated infants rate increased from 2.8% to 21.3% and survival rate increased from 63% to 79%. A reduced need for ROP surgery and a shorter hospital stay were also observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in delivery room strategy tending to reduce mechanical ventilation in extremely premature infants are likely to benefit essentially infants of 27-28 weeks of gestation. Extension of such benefits to premature infants at the limit of viability requires further research.
Zecca
Enrico
E
Division of Neonatology, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. enrizecca@rm.unicatt.it
de Luca
Daniele
D
Costa
Simonetta
S
Marras
Marco
M
de Turris
Pierluigi
P
Romagnoli
Costantino
C
D015331:Cohort Studies; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D003696:Delivery Rooms; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007440:Intubation; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D009359:Neonatology / Q000379:methods*; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000401:mortality; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate