title: Antecedent Predictors of Feeding Outcomes in Premature Infants With Protracted Mechanical Ventilation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to define risk factors associated with gastrostomy in premature infants receiving protracted mechanical ventilation (≥30 days).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective data collected on 170 preterm neonates (birth weight <1500 g) who received uninterrupted mechanical ventilation for ≥30 days were analyzed with logistic regression methods to predict the association of gastrostomy with cardiorespiratory, infectious, and neurological morbidities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 32 of 170 infants had gastrostomy tubes. Including all of the covariates in 1 model, duration of cumulative ventilation (P < 0.001) and uninterrupted ventilation (P < 0.001), and ventriculoperitoneal shunt (P = 0.02) were significant predictors, whereas sepsis, intraventrical hemorrhage grade III or IV, and patent ductus arteriosus ligation were not. Respiratory severity score (mean airway pressure × fraction of inspired oxygen) calculated at 30 days of life was also a significant predictor (P = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In infants with protracted mechanical ventilation, the degree of respiratory support at 1 month of age, prolonged respiratory morbidity, and neuropathology are the significant predictors for gastrostomy.
authors.affiliation: *Neonatal Aerodigestive Pulmonary Research Program, Division of Neonatology, Center for Perinatal Research, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio †Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada ‡Division of Neonatology, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston.
authors.forename: Manish B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Malkar
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Stephen E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Welty
authors.forename: Sudarshan R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Jadcherla
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005774:Gastrostomy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors