End-tidal capnography monitoring in infants ventilated on the neonatal intensive care unit

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether end-tidal capnography (EtCO(2)) monitoring reduced the magnitude of difference in carbon dioxide (CO(2)) levels and the number of blood gases in ventilated infants. STUDY DESIGN: A case–control study of a prospective cohort (n = 36) with capnography monitoring and matched historical controls (n = 36). RESULT: The infants had a median gestational age of 31.6 weeks. A reduction in the highest CO(2) level on day 1 after birth was observed after the introduction of EtCO(2) monitoring (p = 0.043). There was also a reduction in the magnitude of difference in CO(2) levels on days 1 (p = 0.002) and 4 (p = 0.049) after birth. There was no significant difference in the number of blood gases. CONCLUSION: Continuous end-tidal capnography monitoring in ventilated infants was associated with a reduction in the degree of the magnitude of difference in CO(2) levels and highest level of CO(2) on the first day after birth.