Radiological outcome of very prematurely born infants randomised to high frequency oscillatory or conventional ventilation

Abstract

The appearance of the chest radiograph (CXR) at 28 days after birth or 36 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA) has been shown to be predictive of respiratory symptoms at follow-up. The aim of this study was to determine whether the CXR appearance at 28 days or 36 weeks PMA differed according to the ventilatory mode used in the perinatal period. CXRs were routinely obtained at 28 days and 36 weeks PMA from infants entered into a multicentre randomised trial (UKOS) comparing high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) and conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV); the ventilation allocation mode had been instituted within 60 min of birth. The CXRs were assessed using a scoring system (maximum score 8) for the presence of fibrosis/interstitial shadows, cystic elements and hyperinflation. A total of 487 infants, median gestational age 26+5 weeks (range 23-28+6 weeks) and birth weight 865 g (range 428-1459 g) who had had a CXR taken at 28 days and/or 36 weeks PMA. No significant differences were found between the total CXR scores of the two groups either at 28 days or 36 weeks PMA (mean scores 3.2 HFOV versus 3.5 CMV, 95%CI for difference -0.66 to 0.06, P = 0.11 at 28 days and mean scores 3.5 HFOV versus 3.6 CMV, 95% for difference -0.49 to 0.29, P = 0.61 at 36 weeks PMA). Conclusion: These results are consistent with high frequency oscillatory ventilation and conventional mechanical ventilation having similar effects on pulmonary function in very prematurely born infants. © Springer-Verlag 2004.