Abstract
Background
Chronic lung disease remains a burden for extremely preterm infants. The changes in ventilation over time and optimal ventilatory management remains unknown. Newer, non-invasive technologies provide insight into these patterns.
Methods
This single-center prospective cohort study enrolled infants ≤32 0/7 weeks. We obtained epochs of transcutaneous carbon dioxide (TcCO2) measurements twice each week to describe the pattern of hypercarbia throughout their hospitalization.
Results
Patterns of hypercarbia varied based on birth gestational age and post-menstrual age (PMA) (p = 0.03), regardless of respiratory support. Infants receiving the most respiratory support had values 16–21 mmHg higher than those on room air (p < 0.001). Infants born at the youngest gestational ages had the greatest total change but the rate of change was slower (p = 0.049) compared to infants born at later gestational ages. All infants had TcCO2 values stabilize by 31–33 weeks PMA, when values were not significantly different compared to discharge. No rebound was observed when infants weaned off invasive support.
Conclusions
Hypercarbia improves as infants approached 31–33 weeks PMA. Hypercarbia was the highest in the most immature infants and improved with age and growth despite weaning respiratory support.
Impact
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This study describes the evolution of hypercarbia as very preterm infants grow and develop.
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The pattern of ventilation is significantly different depending on the gestational age at birth and post-menstrual age.
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Average transcutaneous carbon dioxide (TCO2) decreased over time as infants became more mature despite weaning respiratory support. This improvement was most significant in infants born at the lowest gestational ages.
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Acknowledgements
No financial assistance was received in support of this study. SenTec loaned several transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitors for use in this prospective cohort study.
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Each author has met the Pediatric Research authorship requirements. All authors made substantial contributions to the conception and design, acquisition of data, and/or analysis and interpretation of data. K.P.S. drafted the article. K.P.S., L.M.R., and H.O.W. revised it critically for important intellectual content. L.M.R., H.O.W., L.E.G., J.J.N., and A.F.L. all gave final approval of the version to be submitted for publication.
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Sullivan, K.P., White, H.O., Grover, L.E. et al. Transcutaneous carbon dioxide pattern and trend over time in preterm infants. Pediatr Res 90, 840–846 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-020-01308-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-020-01308-2
