Hemodynamic Effects of Nasal Intermittent Positive Pressure Ventilation in Preterm Infants

Nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) and nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) have proven to be effective modes of noninvasive respiratory support in preterm infants. Although they are increasingly used in neonatal intensive care, their hemodynamic consequences have not been fully evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate the hemodynamic changes between NIPPV and NCPAP in preterm infants. This prospective observational study enrolled clinically stable preterm infants requiring respiratory support received NCPAP and nonsynchronized NIPPV at 40/minute for 30 minutes each, in random order. Cardiac function and cerebral hemodynamics were assessed by ultrasonography after each study period. The patients continued the study ventilation during measurements. Twenty infants with a mean gestational age of 27 weeks (range, 25–32 weeks) and birth weight of 974 g were examined at a median postnatal age of 20 days (range, 9–28 days). There were no significant differences between the NCPAP and NIPPV groups in right (302 vs 292 mL/kg/min, respectively) and left ventricular output (310 vs 319 mL/kg/min, respectively), superior vena cava flow (103 vs 111 mL/kg/min, respectively), or anterior cerebral artery flow velocity. NIPPV did not have a significant effect on the hemodynamics of stable preterm infants. Future studies assessing the effect of NIPPV on circulation should focus on less stable and very preterm infants.