Lung Volume Changes in Stable Preterm Infants Weaned From Nasal CPAP to High FlowTake-home Points

Background: Weaning preterm infants off nasal CPAP (nCPAP) using nasal high-flow therapy has gained popularity. The effects of such a weaning strategy on lung volumes are unclear. Research Question: How does the transition from nCPAP to high flow and varying flow levels affect lung volumes in stable...

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Main Authors: Vanessa L. Büchler, MD, Vincent D. Gaertner, MD, Janine Thomann, MD, Dirk Bassler, MD, Christoph M. Rüegger, MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:CHEST Pulmonary
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949789224000606
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author Vanessa L. Büchler, MD
Vincent D. Gaertner, MD
Janine Thomann, MD
Dirk Bassler, MD
Christoph M. Rüegger, MD
author_facet Vanessa L. Büchler, MD
Vincent D. Gaertner, MD
Janine Thomann, MD
Dirk Bassler, MD
Christoph M. Rüegger, MD
author_sort Vanessa L. Büchler, MD
collection DOAJ
description Background: Weaning preterm infants off nasal CPAP (nCPAP) using nasal high-flow therapy has gained popularity. The effects of such a weaning strategy on lung volumes are unclear. Research Question: How does the transition from nCPAP to high flow and varying flow levels affect lung volumes in stable preterm infants? Study Design and Methods: This was a prospective cohort study in infants 30 to 35 weeks’ postmenstrual age. After a baseline period on nCPAP 5 cm H2O, infants were switched to high flow 8 L/min for 30 minutes. The flow level was reduced by 2 L/min every 30 minutes to a minimum of 2 L/min and subsequently increased to the initial level of 8 L/min, followed by another nCPAP period. Using electrical impedance tomography, end-expiratory lung impedance as a proxy for end-expiratory lung volume (EELV) and cardiorespiratory parameters were recorded at each flow level and compared with baseline. Results: Overall, 8,438 breaths from 19 infants were analyzed. EELV changed significantly during the study (P = .002), which was mainly attributable to a loss of EELV when high flow was reduced to 6 and 4 L/min and re-escalated to 4, 6, and 8 L/min. Apart from a reduction in minute ventilation (P = .004), no other significant changes were found in electrical impedance tomography ventilation parameters. Alterations in lung volume were accompanied by an increase in heart rate (P = .02) and a decrease in peripheral oxygen saturation/Fio2 ratio (P < .001). Interpretation: The results of this study indicate that the transition from nCPAP to high flow is likely to result in a reduced EELV, accompanied by physiological responses in heart rate and oxygenation. Despite a stepwise escalation to preweaning flow levels, we found that only partial recovery of lung volume losses was achievable with high flow. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT05237622; URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov
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spelling doaj-art-fe48370d203d4e4d90787fbd9be373a92025-08-20T02:19:23ZengElsevierCHEST Pulmonary2949-78922024-12-012410009410.1016/j.chpulm.2024.100094Lung Volume Changes in Stable Preterm Infants Weaned From Nasal CPAP to High FlowTake-home PointsVanessa L. Büchler, MD0Vincent D. Gaertner, MD1Janine Thomann, MD2Dirk Bassler, MD3Christoph M. Rüegger, MD4Newborn Research, Department of Neonatology, University Hospital and University of Zürich, Zürich, SwitzerlandDivision of Neonatology, Dr von Hauner Children’s Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, GermanyNewborn Research, Department of Neonatology, University Hospital and University of Zürich, Zürich, SwitzerlandNewborn Research, Department of Neonatology, University Hospital and University of Zürich, Zürich, SwitzerlandNewborn Research, Department of Neonatology, University Hospital and University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; CORRESPONDENCE TO: Christoph M. Rüegger, MDBackground: Weaning preterm infants off nasal CPAP (nCPAP) using nasal high-flow therapy has gained popularity. The effects of such a weaning strategy on lung volumes are unclear. Research Question: How does the transition from nCPAP to high flow and varying flow levels affect lung volumes in stable preterm infants? Study Design and Methods: This was a prospective cohort study in infants 30 to 35 weeks’ postmenstrual age. After a baseline period on nCPAP 5 cm H2O, infants were switched to high flow 8 L/min for 30 minutes. The flow level was reduced by 2 L/min every 30 minutes to a minimum of 2 L/min and subsequently increased to the initial level of 8 L/min, followed by another nCPAP period. Using electrical impedance tomography, end-expiratory lung impedance as a proxy for end-expiratory lung volume (EELV) and cardiorespiratory parameters were recorded at each flow level and compared with baseline. Results: Overall, 8,438 breaths from 19 infants were analyzed. EELV changed significantly during the study (P = .002), which was mainly attributable to a loss of EELV when high flow was reduced to 6 and 4 L/min and re-escalated to 4, 6, and 8 L/min. Apart from a reduction in minute ventilation (P = .004), no other significant changes were found in electrical impedance tomography ventilation parameters. Alterations in lung volume were accompanied by an increase in heart rate (P = .02) and a decrease in peripheral oxygen saturation/Fio2 ratio (P < .001). Interpretation: The results of this study indicate that the transition from nCPAP to high flow is likely to result in a reduced EELV, accompanied by physiological responses in heart rate and oxygenation. Despite a stepwise escalation to preweaning flow levels, we found that only partial recovery of lung volume losses was achievable with high flow. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; No.: NCT05237622; URL: www.clinicaltrials.govhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949789224000606electrical impedance tomographyheatedhumidifiedhigh-flow nasal cannulanasal CPAPnasal high-flow therapy
spellingShingle Vanessa L. Büchler, MD
Vincent D. Gaertner, MD
Janine Thomann, MD
Dirk Bassler, MD
Christoph M. Rüegger, MD
Lung Volume Changes in Stable Preterm Infants Weaned From Nasal CPAP to High FlowTake-home Points
CHEST Pulmonary
electrical impedance tomography
heated
humidified
high-flow nasal cannula
nasal CPAP
nasal high-flow therapy
title Lung Volume Changes in Stable Preterm Infants Weaned From Nasal CPAP to High FlowTake-home Points
title_full Lung Volume Changes in Stable Preterm Infants Weaned From Nasal CPAP to High FlowTake-home Points
title_fullStr Lung Volume Changes in Stable Preterm Infants Weaned From Nasal CPAP to High FlowTake-home Points
title_full_unstemmed Lung Volume Changes in Stable Preterm Infants Weaned From Nasal CPAP to High FlowTake-home Points
title_short Lung Volume Changes in Stable Preterm Infants Weaned From Nasal CPAP to High FlowTake-home Points
title_sort lung volume changes in stable preterm infants weaned from nasal cpap to high flowtake home points
topic electrical impedance tomography
heated
humidified
high-flow nasal cannula
nasal CPAP
nasal high-flow therapy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949789224000606
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