Atypical acute respiratory disorder in late preterm  and term newborn infants.
OBJECTIVE
We were to describe the clinical characteristics of late preterm and term newborn infants who needed invasive or non-invasive ventilation for respiratory distress but did not meet the diagnostic criteria of common neonatal respiratory disorders (atypical acute respiratory disorder; aRD).


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed electronic medical records of 242 late preterm and term newborn infants born who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for acute respiratory distress developed within 24 h after birth.


RESULTS
Newborn infants with aRD had significantly higher mean, maximum blood PCO2 levels and maximum FiO2 levels during the first 72 h after birth than infants with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN). Total periods of oxygen supplementation of the infants with aRD were significantly longer than those of infants with TTN, but shorter than those of the infants with meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS).


CONCLUSIONS
Except for definite diagnosis, higher oxygen need and PCO2 level on blood gas analysis during the initial period of their respiratory illness may be able to predict aRD, and these interventions may be able to decrease neonatal respiratory morbidity.
Seung Hyun
SH
Lee
Chang Won
CW
Choi
Yeon Kyun
YK
Oh
Beyong Il
BI
Kim
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012189:Retrospective Studies