Randomised controlled trial of patient triggered and conventional fast rate ventilation in neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

Aim-To compare patient triggered, with conventional fast rate, ventilation in a randomised controlled trial using the incidence of chronic lung diseas e as the primary outcome measure. Methods-Three hundred and eighty six preterm infants with birthweights from 1000 to 2000 g, and requiring ventilation for respiratory distress syndrom e within 24 hours of birth, were randomised to receive either conventional or trigger ventilation with the SLE 2000 ventilator. Results-There were no significant differences in the incidence of chronic l ung disease (28 day and 36 week definitions), death, pneumothorax, intraven tricular haemorrhage, number of ventilator days, or length of oxygen depend ency between groups. Conclusions-Patient triggered ventilation in preterm infants with respirato ry distress syndrome is feasible. No significant differences, when compared with conventional fast rate ventilation in important medium and longer ter m outcome measures, were evident.