Pulmonary sequelae in infants treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

The decision to place an infant on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is based on predictions of expected morbidity and mortality. One unknown factor is the relationship between pre-ECMO pulmonary dysfunction and on barotrauma and post-ECMO pulmonary sequelae. To determine whether placement of infants on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) early is associated with less subsequent pulmonary dysfunction than placing infants on EMCO later, we evaluated pulmonary function in 25 neonates prior to ECMO, when the infants had come off EMCO, and at the time of nursery discharge. Pulmonary resistance (R) and compliance (CL) were determined by a pneumotachograph and esophageal manometry, and functional residual capacity (FRC) was determined by a helium dilution method. Maximal expiratory flow (VmaxFRC) was determined by thoracic compression at the time of discharge. Infants were assigned to an early ECMO group (< 36 hours of age, n = 12), or a late ECMO group (> 36 hours of age, n = 13). When first evaluated, the early group had a higher oxygenation index than the late group (mean value, 63 versus 48), but initial pulmonary function measurements were not different between the two groups. In the early group mean CL increase from 0.20 to 0.36 ml/cmH2O/kg, FRC increased from 7 to 20 ml/kg, and mean R decreased from 107 to 61 cmH2O/L/sec between the initial study and immediately after ECMO. In the late group, only FRC increased from a mean of 8 to 20 ml/kg. CL and FRC increased from post-ECMO to discharge in both groups (mean CL from 0.36 to 0.76 ml/cmH2O/kg in the early group, and from 0.30 to 0.79 in the late group). Mean FRC increased from 20 to 26 ml/kg in the early group, and from 20 to 25 ml/kg in the late group. VmaxFRC was lower in the late than the early group at discharge (mean, 1.14 versus 1.58 L/sec; P < 0.05). While both groups of infants had minimal pulmonary dysfunction at discharge, the infants placed on ECMO early had evidence of slightly less airway dysfunction despite a higher initial oxygenation index than the infants placed on ECMO late.

Prognosis with preoperative pulmonary function and lung volume assessment in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether fatal pulmonary hypoplasia, as assessed by functional residual capacity (FRC), can be distinguished from other reversible causes of respiratory failure in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). METHODS: In the present study, 25 term neonates having CDH without other anomalies (mean birth weight +/- SD, 3.25 +/- 0.50 kg) were enrolled prospectively into a protocol evaluating pulmonary function. Lung compliance (CL) and FRC were measured before diaphragmatic repair and compared with the highest oxygenation index (OI) and lowest PaCO2, also obtained preoperatively. Pulmonary function assessment was repeated after diaphragm repair on postoperative days 3 and 7. CL was determined by esophageal manometry and pneumotachography, and FRC was determined by helium dilution. RESULTS: Fifteen infants (60%) survived to hospital discharge. Eighteen (72%) required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for support, and of these, 8 (44%) survived. PaCO2 was similar preoperatively in infants grouped as survivors without ECMO, survivors with ECMO, and nonsurvivors. In nonsurvivors (all of whom received ECMO), the preoperative OI was significantly higher (51 +/- 21), CL was less (0.11 +/- 0.04 mL/cm of water per kg), and FRC was smaller (4.5 +/- 1.0 mL/kg) than in the survivors who required ECMO (26 +/- 18, 0.18 +/- 0.08 mL/cm of water per kg, and 12 +/- 5 mL/kg, respectively), as well as in the survivors without ECMO, (6 +/- 2, 0.32 +/- 0.16 mL/cm of water per kg, and 15.8 +/- 4 mL/kg, respectively). The group surviving with ECMO had a higher OI than the infants surviving without ECMO. All nonsurviving infants had FRCs of less than 9.0 mL/kg preoperatively. In contrast, only 2 of the 15 survivors had preoperative FRCs less than 9 mL/kg. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that preoperative assessment of FRC may predict fatal pulmonary hypoplasia in most infants with CDH.

The detection of postnatal depression in general practice using the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale.

AIM: To determine how many women with postnatal depression were detected with the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale at the 6 week postnatal examination. METHOD: One hundred and twenty-one women attending this general practice for their six week postnatal examination completed the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS); a score of greater than 12.5 was used to predict the likelihood of postnatal depression. Postnatal depression was defined as a major depressive illness according to the DSM III criteria, occurring in the 12 months following delivery. RESULTS: Seven women had postnatal depression and six of these women scored over 12.5 with the EPDS. Eight women had other depressive disorders (depressive disorders that did not reach DSM III criteria) and five of these scored over 12.5. Those scoring over 12.5 had a 64% risk of having some form of depressive disorder. Those scoring under 12.5 had only a 4% risk of postnatal depressive disorder. (1% risk of postnatal depression and 3% risk of other depression). CONCLUSION: The EPDS is an easily completed and well accepted 5 minute questionnaire which reliably identified most women with postnatal depression and other depressive disorders in this general practice.

Continued pulmonary recovery observed after discontinuing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a valuable therapy for the treatment of reversible lung disease in neonates. Associated with this treatment, however, are risks for complications that increase with the duration of therapy. We evaluated alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference P(A-a)O2 pulmonary compliance (CL), and functional residual capacity (FRC) in 20 infants immediately after ECMO was discontinued, and again 24 hours thereafter. We measured CL by pneumotachography and esophageal manometry and FRC by helium dilution. Mean (+/- SEM) values for CL and FRC increased (CL from 0.28 +/- 0.02 to 0.35 +/- 0.03 mL/cmH2O)/kg and FRC from 18.6 +/- 1.4 to 22.2 +/- 1.1 mL/kg; P < 0.05), and P(A-a)O2 and the oxygenation index (OI) decreased (200 +/- 19 to 169 +/- 14 mm Hg and 6.9 +/- 0.44 to 5.4 +/- 0.5, respectively; P < 0.02), over the 24 hour period following ECMO. Nineteen of 20 infants experienced improvement in at least two of these parameters. Improvements were found to be greatest in the infant with the worst lung function immediately after discontinuing ECMO, and in the ten infants who had not received pancuronium bromide for inducing skeletal muscle paralysis, following decannulation from ECMO. These data indicate that improvement in lung function following ECMO will generally continue over the 24 hour period following the termination of cardiopulmonary bypass, and that borderline pulmonary status may not preclude discontinuation of bypass therapy.

Neonatal gastric intubation: differential respiratory effects between nasogastric and orogastric tubes.

The acute effects of nasogastric (NG) and orogastric (OG) tube placement on pulmonary function of neonates was assessed as a function of infant weight. Lung function was obtained on 14 healthy infants weighing less than 2 kg and 10 infants heavier than 2 kg with an NG and an OG tube in place. Additionally, 15 infants were studied for a third time without gastric intubation. Lung function was determined with an esophageal balloon and by pneumotachography (PeDS) via the least mean square analysis technique. Neither the below-2 kg infants nor the above-2 kg infants had apparent clinical compromise with NG and OG tube placement. Infants weighing less than 2 kg, however, demonstrated diminished minute ventilation and respiratory rate and had increased pulmonary resistance, resistive work of breathing, and peak transpulmonary pressure change with NG tube, as compared to OG tube, placement. The above-2 kg infants demonstrated no change in pulmonary function with NG vs. OG tube placement. These data indicate that small neonates demonstrate significant pulmonary compromise with NG placement that may not be clinically apparent.