title: Endotracheal Intubation in Neonates: A Prospective Study of Adverse Safety Events in 162 Infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the rate of adverse events associated with endotracheal intubation in newborns and modifiable factors contributing to these events.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective, observational study in a 100-bed, academic, level IV neonatal intensive care unit from September 2013 through June 2014. We collected data on intubations using standardized data collection instruments with validation by medical record review. Intubations in the delivery or operating rooms were excluded. The primary outcome was an intubation with any adverse event. Adverse events were defined and tracked prospectively as nonsevere or severe. We measured clinical variables including number of attempts to successful intubation and intubation urgency (elective, urgent, or emergent). We used logistic regression models to estimate the association of these variables with adverse events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 304 intubations occurred in 178 infants. Data were available for 273 intubations (90%) in 162 patients. Adverse events occurred in 107 (39%) intubations with nonsevere and severe events in 96 (35%) and 24 (8.8%) intubations, respectively. Increasing number of intubation attempts (OR 2.1, 95% CI, 1.6-2.6) and emergent intubations (OR 4.7, 95% CI, 1.7-13) were predictors of adverse events. The primary cause of emergent intubations was unplanned extubation (62%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adverse events are common in the neonatal intensive care unit, occurring in 4 of 10 intubations. The odds of an adverse event doubled with increasing number of attempts and quadrupled in the emergent setting. Quality improvement efforts to address these factors are needed to improve patient safety.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN. Electronic address: Leon.d.hatch@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: L Dupree
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Hatch
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Grubb
authors.affiliation: Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Amanda S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lea
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: William F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Melinda H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Markham
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Colorado, Aurora, CO.
authors.forename: Gina M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Whitney
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Slaughter
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: Ann R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine and the Center for Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN; Veteran's Affairs Tennessee Valley Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Nashville, TN.
authors.forename: E Wesley
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Ely
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies