Outcomes following less-invasive-surfactant-administration in the delivery-room.

Background: Less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) on the neonatal unit reduces the need for mechanical ventilation and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).

Aims: To assess the immediate and longer-term efficacy of LISA to prematurely born infants in the delivery-room.

Study Design: A case control study with inborn historical controls matched for gestational age, birthweight and gender to each LISA infant.

Subjects: Infants born between 26 weeks and 34 weeks of gestational age.

Outcome Measures: Respiratory function monitoring before and after LISA and need for mechanical ventilation within 72 h of birth.

Results: Ninety-nine infants, median gestational age of 32(range:27-34) weeks, were prospectively recruited. The respiratory rate and inspired oxygen (FiO) decreased two minutes after LISA and there was a reduction in the FiO requirement at two hours post birth. Compared to historical controls, LISA administration was associated with a reduction in the need for mechanical ventilation within 72 h after birth (20.2% versus 56.6% p < 0.001) the incidence of moderate to severe BPD (8.2% versus 20.2%, p = 0.02) and the median costs of neonatal intensive care stay (£1218 versus £2436, p = 0.03) and total neonatal unit stay (£12,888 versus £17,240, p = 0.04). A high FiO in the delivery-room pre-LISA (median 0.75 versus 0.60, p = 0.02) was associated with LISA failure, that is mechanical ventilation within 72 h of birth.

Conclusions: LISA to prematurely born infants in the delivery-room was associated with reductions in the need for mechanical ventilation and costs of care, but was less successful in those with initial, more severe respiratory disease.