The purpose of this study is to examine the blood flow and the delivery of oxygen to the brain and gut in preterm babies while they are supported with two modes of breathing machine and compare these two methods to see if one allows for better blood flow to the brain and gut.
Preterm babies under 32 weeks of gestational age usually needs to be supported with breathing machine because of different kinds of problems like lungs immaturity or infection. One type of breathing machine support is called CPAP(Continuous Positive Airway Pressure).This breathing support machine is connected to the nose to help preterm baby breathe. This machine blows air or an air/oxygen mixture through the nose and in to the baby's lung; this helps to keep baby's lungs fully open and makes it easier for the baby to breathe. There are two ways this machine can help the baby breathe - it can either blow the air/oxygen mixture at the same pressure all the time…we call that CPAP, or we can vary the pressure - we call that TrPA(Trigger Pressure Assist). Both methods have been in use in neonatal intensive care units(NICUs) for several years and both methods help with the breathing of babies. The breathing machine (CPAP) makes the lungs better inflated. This inflation might affect the ability of the heart to push the blood to the organs through the blood vessels. Also we do not know whether there is any difference in the blood flow or oxygen delivery depending whether the baby is on CPAP or TrPA. We will measure the heart function using Ultrasound (Echocardiography). To measure the efficiency of the flow of the blood through the vessels to the organs we will use Near Infra Red Spectroscopy (NIRS); this involves applying a sensor to the baby's skin - one on the forehead and one on the tummy and connecting the sensors to a machine which can measure the oxygen level in the organ under the skin. While the baby is on CPAP, we will start monitoring oxygen saturation by applying NIRS sensors to the forehead and the abdomen. After 3 hours we will do echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart)to see any changes that might happen to the heart and blood vessels while the baby is on CPAP. Then, using the same machine, we will change the mode of respiratory support to TrPA. After another three hours, we will do another echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart), then we will stop NIRS monitoring and change the mode of respiratory support back to CPAP.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
10
Measurement of: * Left ventricular output (LVO). * Right ventricular output (RVO). * Assessment of the Mesenteric Artery Flow.
Measurement of cerebral and mesenteric regional oxygen saturation(rSO2) trends and data while the baby on CPAP or TrPA modes of noninvasive ventilation.
St. Boniface General Hospital
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Health Sciences Center
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Change in cardiac output
Targeted neonatal Echocardiography will be done according to the guidelines accepted by the writing group of the American society of echocardiography in collaboration with associations of European pediatric cardiologists The following standard windows will be used: 1. Subcostal. 2. Apical. 3. Long and short axis parasternal. 4. Suprasternal Measurements: * Left ventricular output (LVO). * Right ventricular output (RVO).
Time frame: Day 3 of life till 2 months of age
Changes in Superior Mesenteric Artery and Middle Cerebral Artery Doppler flow.
Time frame: Day 3 of life till 2 months of age
Cerebral and mesenteric regional tissue oxygenation
Cerebral and mesenteric rSO2 trends and data (obtained by NIRS) will be recorded along with simultaneous pulse oximeter trends and data. The splanchnic-cerebral oxygenation ratio (SCOR) reflecting the ratio between regional cerebral oxygen saturation(rcSO2) and regional splanchnic oxygen saturation (rsSO2)(rcSO2/rsSO2) will be analyzed.
Time frame: Day 3 of life till 2 months of age
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