title: Introduction of Infant Flow nasal continuous airway pressure as the standard of practice in Poland: the initial 2-year experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate whether a change in the standard of newborn care for respiratory insufficiency by widely introducing more aggressive use of nasal continuous airway pressure (nCPAP) and including Infant Flow technology would result in satisfactory outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospectively defined analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven secondary and tertiary care neonatal centers in Poland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were 1,299 newborns.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We carried out a prospectively defined analysis of 1,299 newborns included in the program between August 1, 2003, and April 30, 2005. The inclusion criterion was the occurrence of symptoms of respiratory failure irrespective of its etiology. Respiratory support was provided with the use of the Infant Flow Advance Driver. The analysis was made on data from prospectively designed questionnaires completed following each infant's treatment. Infants were placed into categories based on clinical indication for use. The primary end point was avoiding tracheal intubation. A high rate of acceptance of the new practice was observed across the substantial demographic and clinical diversity of newborns. Tracheal intubation was avoided in 78% of infants treated electively with nCPAP. Of those being weaned from mechanical ventilation, 61.2% were successfully weaned. Related complications were low (1.4% pneumothorax, 12% nasal injuries).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new method of nCPAP with Infant Flow was adopted as standard practice in Poland. We monitored its safety and effectiveness over a 2-yr period and found it to be safe and effective as implemented. Additional research is still needed to determine the optimum patient population, strategy for use, and devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and IntensiveTherapy, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw.
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swietliński
authors.forename: Klaudiusz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bober
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gajewska
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Helwich
authors.forename: Ryszard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lauterbach
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manowska
authors.forename: Bohdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maruszewski
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szczapa
authors.forename: Lech
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hubicki
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome