Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) devices using variable (vf-) and continuous (cf-) flow or synchronized nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (s-NIPPV) are used to prevent or treat intermittent hypoxia (IH) in preterm infants. Results concerning which is most effective vary. We aimed to investigate the effect of s-NIPPV and vf-NCPAP compared to cf-NCPAP on the rate of IH episodes. Preterm infants with a gestational age of 24.9-29.7 weeks presenting with IH while being treated with cf-NCPAP were monitored for eight hours, then randomized to eight hours of treatment with vf-NCPAP or s-NIPPV. Data from 16 infants were analyzed. Due to an unexpectedly low sample size, the results were only reported descriptively. No relevant changes in the rate of IH events were detected between cf- vs. vf-NCPAP or between cf-NCPAP vs. s-NIPPV. Although limited by its small sample size, s-NIPPV, vf- and cf-NCPAP seemed to be similarly effective in the treatment of IH in these infants.
Keywords: NCPAP; intermittent hypoxia; nasal respiratory support; s-NIPPV; very low birthweight infant.