Trends in the use of non-invasive respiratory support for term infants in tertiary neonatal units in Australia and New Zealand.

Objective: To determine whether the use of non-invasive respiratory support, such as continuous positive airway pressure and nasal high flow, to treat term infants in Australian and New Zealand tertiary neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) has changed over time, and if so, whether there are parallel changes in short-term respiratory morbidities.

Design: Retrospective database review of patient-level data from the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network (ANZNN) from 2010 to 2018. Denominator data on the number of term inborn livebirths in each facility was only available as annual totals.

Cost-Effectiveness of Nasal High Flow Versus CPAP for Newborn Infants in Special-Care Nurseries.

Background: Treating respiratory distress in newborns is expensive. We compared the cost-effectiveness of 2 common noninvasive therapies, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and nasal high-flow (nHF), for newborn infants cared for in nontertiary special care nurseries.

Methods: The economic evaluation was planned alongside a randomized control trial conducted in 9 Australian special care nurseries.

Predicting Nasal High-Flow Treatment Success in Newborn Infants with Respiratory Distress Cared for in Nontertiary Hospitals.

Objective: To evaluate demographic and clinical variables as predictors of nasal high-flow treatment success in newborn infants with respiratory distress cared for in Australian nontertiary special care nurseries.

Study Design: A secondary analysis of the HUNTER trial, a multicenter, randomized controlled trial evaluating nasal high-flow as primary respiratory support for newborn infants with respiratory distress who were born ≥31 weeks of gestation and with birth weight ≥1200 g, and cared for in Australian nontertiary special care nurseries. Treatment success within 72 hours after randomization to nasal high-flow was determined using objective criteria.

Nasal High-Flow Therapy for Newborn Infants in Special Care Nurseries.

Background: Nasal high-flow therapy is an alternative to nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) as a means of respiratory support for newborn infants. The efficacy of high-flow therapy in nontertiary special care nurseries is unknown.

Methods: We performed a multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial involving newborn infants (<24 hours of age; gestational age, ≥31 weeks) in special care nurseries in Australia.

A multicentre, randomised controlled, non-inferiority trial, comparing nasal high flow with nasal continuous positive airway pressure as primary support for newborn infants with early respiratory distress born in Australian non-tertiary special care nurseries (the HUNTER trial): study protocol.

Introduction: Nasal high-flow (nHF) therapy is a popular mode of respiratory support for newborn infants. Evidence for nHF use is predominantly from neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). There are no randomised trials of nHF use in non-tertiary special care nurseries (SCNs).

Continuous positive airway pressure therapy for infants with respiratory distress in non tertiary care centers: a randomized, controlled trial.

Objective: Our objective was to determine whether continuous positive airway pressure therapy would safely reduce the need for up-transfer of infants with respiratory distress from nontertiary centers.

Methods: We randomly assigned 300 infants at >30 weeks of gestation with respiratory distress to receive either Hudson prong bubble continuous positive airway pressure therapy or headbox oxygen treatment (standard care). The primary end point was "up-transfer or treatment failure.

Practice variation in initial management and transfer thresholds for infants with respiratory distress in Australian hospitals. Who should write the guidelines?

Aim: In Australian hospitals: (i) to identify current practices in the initial oxygen management of infants with respiratory distress; (ii) to identify factors important in deciding to transfer an infant; and (iii) to identify thresholds for transfer.

Methods: All Australian hospitals with: >200 registered deliveries, a special care unit (SCU) or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and at least one paediatrician were surveyed in 2004 (n=176). The questionnaire sought information on the initial oxygen management and factors important in deciding to transfer.

CPAP use in babies with respiratory distress in Australian special care nurseries.

Aim: This study sought to identify the number of special care nurseries (SCNs) already using CPAP in 2004, and the number considering its use in the following 2 years, and to describe the characteristics of those hospitals.

Methods: All Australian hospitals with >200 registered deliveries in the year 2002, a SCN and at least one paediatrician were eligible (n = 157). Separate questionnaires were sent to the nurse unit manager (NUM) and the paediatrician responsible for the SCN in late 2004.