Positive end-expiratory pressure during resuscitation at birth in very-low-birth-weight infants: A randomized controlled pilot trial

Very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) premature infants show a high risk of developing surfactant deficiency, respiratory difficulty, or apnea after birth. The neonatal resuscitation guideline recommends resuscitation in the delivery room by  positive pressure ventilation (PPV) to rescue high-risk newborns suffering from apnea, gasping, or a heart rate of less than 100/min.1,2 Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) using 5 cm H2O is recommended while applying PPV in neonatal resuscitation; however, there is still a lack of strong ev idence of the beneficial significance of PEEP in VLBW infants through clinically randomized controlled trials.
Source: Pediatrics and Neonatology - Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research