Newborn Ventilation in the Delivery Room: Could it be Improved With a T-piece Resuscitator?

NEWBORN VENTILATION IN THE DELIVERY ROOM: CAN IT BE IMPROVED WITH A T-PIECE RESUSCITATOR? Multicenter Cross-over Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

A multicenter cross-over cluster randomized controlled trial protocol study in newborn infants ≥ 26 weeks gestational age requiring assisted ventilation (positive pressure ventilation [PPV]) for resuscitation in the delivery room comparing a T-piece resuscitator device versus resuscitation bag.

Design: A multicenter cross-over cluster randomized controlled trial. Our hypothesis is based on the assumption that ventilating depressed newborns with a T-piece resuscitator will be more effective than SIB by increasing the proportion of resuscitated newborns with heart rate (HR) ≥ 100 beats per minute (bpm) at two minutes of life as a proxy for successful resuscitation.

Population: Newborn infants ≥ 26 weeks gestational age requiring assisted ventilation (PPV) for resuscitation in the delivery room.

(need for assisted ventilation at positive pressure: Heart Rate [HR] < 100 beats per minute [bpm], apnea, gasping, cyanosis and/or hypotonia)

Intervention: PPV will be performed with a T-piece resuscitator (Neopuff® group) with positive end expiratory pressure.

Control: PPV will be performed with a self inflating bag (SIB group) with and without PEEP.

Both devices will be used with face masks, and a peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) of 25 cm H2O will be used to begin ventilation with PEEP of 0 cm H2O in the subgroup without PEEP valve, 5 cm H2O in the subgroup with PEEP valve in the SIB group, and 5 cm H2O in the Neopuff® group.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of both instruments in reaching a heart rate of ≥ 100 bpm in depressed newborns of ≥ 26 weeks' gestational age (GA) after the initiation of positive pressure ventilation (PPV) with face mask.

Primary Outcome: Proportion of newborns with HR ≥ 100 bpm at 2 minutes of life.

Type of Comparison: Which of the two devices Neopuff TM or Self Inflating Bag (NP/SIB)will be more effective for ventilation of the newborn, by increasing the proportion of resuscitated newborns with heart rate (HR) ≥ 100 beats per minute (bpm) at two minutes of life as a proxy for successful resuscitation.

Inclusion criteria:

Live-born infants of ≥ 26 weeks' GA with HR < 100 bpm requiring resuscitation with positive pressure ventilation with mask in the delivery room according to the current AAP/AHA recommendations

Exclusion Criteria:

Infants requiring intubation from birth. Newborns of < 26 weeks´ GA. Newborns presenting major congenital malformations. Multiple births. Problems (difficulty or malfunctioning) with the device assigned.