Efficacy of bubble continous positive airway pressure in newborns with respiratory distress and its outcome in tertiary care hospital, Tirupathi

Background: Respiratory distress is one of the commonest emergency occurring mostly within the first 48-72 hours of life. Bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP) is essential to manage acute respiratory distress in neonates. Method: A Hospital based prospective observational study was done at SNCU at Department of Pediatrics, Sri Venkateswara Ramnarayan Ruia Government General Hospital, Tirupati from October 2017 to September 2018. Efficacy of bCPAP was judged based on Downe /SAS scoring. Results: Out of 171 babies who were managed with bCPAP, it proved effective in 118 babies (69%). The results analyzed based on gender and gestational age were found statistically significant difference (p 0.05). The mean age for initiation of treatment is 9.39±15.022 hours. Overall Mean duration on bCPAP was 24.24±18.22. The success rate was more in babies with RDS 68.2%. There was a significant improvement in Downe/SAS scores in babies with RDS, Pneumonia, MAS and TTNB. The complications were more in failure group. Study of mortality rate was more in the failure group 81%and the survival rate was more in success group 100%. Conclusion: CPAP appears to be the best option to manage infants with respiratory distress at SNCUs of peripheral levels.