Am J Perinatol 1995; 12(4): 275-277
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-994473
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

© 1995 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

Effect of Body Position on the Blood Gases and Ventilation Volume of Infants with Chronic Lung Disease Before and After Feeding

Katsumi Mizuno, Kazuo Itabashi, Kazuo Okuyama
  • Showa University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Tokyo, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
04 March 2008 (online)

ABSTRACT

The effect of body position before and after tube feeding was evaluated in six extremely immature infants who were being mechanically ventilated because of chronic lung disease. Their mean birthweight and gestational age were 722.7 g (range, 540 to 994) and 24.9 weeks (range, 23.9 to 26.0), respectively. This study was performed at a mean postnatal age of 47.5 days (range, 21 to 85 days). The prone position resulted in a significant increase in arterial oxygen saturation before and after feeding, whereas the tidal volume demonstrated an increase only before feeding. Also the prone position showed a significant decrease in heart rate before and after feeding and a tendency to decrease transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension values before feeding. There were no significant differences in minute ventilation despite increased tidal volume in the prone position, most likely due to a decrement of the spontaneous respiratory rate in the prone positioning. We conclude that the prone position may offer an advantage over the supine position in the management of extremely immature infants with chronic lung disease before and after feeding.