OXYGEN AND VENTILATION INDICES: PREDICTORS OF MORTALITY IN EXTREME LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS WITH SURFACTANT TREATMENT FAILURE - A CASE CONTROL STUDY. 1921

Background/ Objectives: Oxygen index (OI) and Ventilation Index(VI) are known to determine severity of respiratory distress in premature infants. Both VI and OI were used in this study to evaluate failure to respond to surfactant therapy and mortality in Extremely low birth weight infants(ELBWI). Methods: Records of consecutive 22 expired ELBWI at DHC were retrospectively analyzed in a case control study with another 22 ELBWI survivors. Both groups were matched for gestational age (GA), birth weight(BW) and gender (between years 1992-95). Mean GA was 25.8±3 wk's and mean BW was 795± 280 gm. All patients received same rescue Exosurf protocol. Results: in mean ± SD (significance at 95% Confidence interval). Conclusion: Poor VI and OI results prior to exosurf in ELBWI anticipated surfactant therapy failure and subsequent increase of mortality in this population. Both VI and OI are significant predictors of mortality in ELBWI when used to evaluate pre to post surfactant treatments. Table