AbstractBackground: Respiratory distress in newborn is one of the commonest causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity in many developing countries. The early initiation of Bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, a low-cost and simple technique can treat respiratory distress in an effective manner. We compared and studied the outcome of initiating bubble CPAP, by the 1st hour of birth in neonates with respiratory distress. Bubble CPAP was a success amongst neonates who were of gestational age more than 32 weeks, weighing more than 1200gms and with Downes’ score of less than 7.
Methods: The study was conducted in a rural tertiary care hospital amongst 150 neonates admitted in intramural (in born) and extramural (out born) neonatal intensive care units. The study was done over a period 18 months. The primary outcome of the study was to compare the proportion of success or failure on early initiation of bubble CPAP.
Results: In our study 94% of babies admitted with respiratory distress and started on Bubble CPAP survived while by early initiation in the 1st hour, 80.9% of babies were treated successfully.
Conclusion: Bubble CPAP has a high percentage of success when initiated early in neonates with mild and moderate respiratory distress