Study Patients
Eligible infants were born with gestational ages less than 32 weeks,
were diagnosed with sBPD at 36 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) according
to the 2001 NIH consensus definition3, and were
receiving invasive mechanical ventilation at the time of enrollment.
Infants were excluded if they were diagnosed with unilateral lung
disease, had an endotracheal tube leak >10%, had prior
cardiac arrhythmia, concurrent pulmonary or systemic infection, or were
actively treated with high frequency ventilation (HFV), inhaled
anticholinergic therapy, or other medication with brochodilatory
characteristics (i.e. magnesium sulfate, ketamine, etc.).
Although specific ventilator settings were not mandated for this trial,
all subjects were ventilated in a Volume Controlled-Synchronized
Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation/Pressure Support (VC-SIMV + PSV) mode
with AutoFlow® via the Evita®Infinity® V500 Ventilator (Dräger®,
Lűbeck, Germany). Our institution utilizes a common strategy for
conventional mechanical ventilation within our Chronic Lung Disease
Program, involving SIMV-VC/PS with AutoFlow®, tidal
volumes of 8-12 mL/kg, PEEP titrated to generate adequate aeration on
chest radiograph and minimize patient ventilator asynchrony, and
inspiratory time specific to individual patient needs in accordance with
analysis of flow-time scalar tracings.