The lungs are among the last organs to develop during pregnancy. Thus, a premature child is more likely to suffer from lung problems, which can persist into adulthood. To treat them, healthcare professionals generally use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. This consists of sending air, with slight excess pressure, into the respiratory tract to reduce the risk of distress. If the treatment is used frequently, scientists are unable to establish its ideal duration. According to new research, presented at the last congress of pediatric academic societies, it should be extended by two weeks, compared to current recommendations.
Prematurity: Bigger, healthier lungs after prolonged CPAP use
“Continuous positive airway pressure is a form of respiratory support, often considered a type of non-invasive ventilationdevelops the Cochrane site. Continuous pressure is usually applied through a nosepiece, which allows the baby to continue breathing on their own, but makes it easier to breathe.” In this study, American researchers looked at the cases of one hundred children born before 32 weeks of pregnancy. Among them, some were twins. All needed to receive 24 hours of CPAP care. Some of them were treated for two more weeks, the rest were breathing.”outdoors” in the neonatal intensive care unit.
To measure the effects of prolonged CPAP treatment, they looked at the differences between the groups at six months of corrected age. This term designates chronological age, i.e. the time elapsed since birth, from which the number of weeks of prematurity is subtracted. At the end of the trial, scientists noticed that infants who received two extra weeks of CPAP had larger, healthier lungs than those who did not. They also noted a better functional residual capacity: this means that they had more air left in the lungs after exhaling.
CPAP, a simple and safe technique to improve lung function
“LExpanding CPAP therapy may be a simple and safe approach to improve lung function and breathing in premature infants in the absence of lung growth therapyspecifies Cindy T. McEvoy, professor of pediatrics at Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon University of Science, who presented the work at the congress. Study Results Confirm CPAP Treatment Benefits Premature Infants Without Requiring Pharmaceuticals.” According to her, these new results could help health professionals find the most relevant treatment durations to treat these babies.
