• Jacqueline A Stack and Bin Jalaludin.
• Department of Newborn Care, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney South West Area Health Service, Liverpool, NSW, Australia. jacqueline.stack@sswahs.nsw.gov.au
• J Paediatr Child Health. 2007 Jun 1; 43 (6): 480-5.

AimsTo describe the developmental progress of very premature babies at the age of 2 years, who were managed in an era where nasal prong continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was the preferred method for the management of initial respiratory disease.MethodsTwo groups of very premature babies of <32 weeks gestation were compared, the first being managed with an intubation and mandatory ventilation approach, and the second being managed with a CPAP approach. The groups are compared with regard to the presence of brain injury, retinopathy and requiring discharge home on oxygen and then at 2 years, for language impairment, non-ambulatory cerebral palsy and significant developmental delay. The study is designed as an audit of data collected prospectively and longitudinally for babies born from 1998 to 2002.ResultsA significant number of babies were successfully managed on CPAP in the second era and significantly fewer received post-natal steroids. The number being discharged home on oxygen, brain injury and retinopathy were similar in the two groups. Developmental outcome assessed at 2 years of age was the same in both eras.ConclusionsA CPAP approach to the management of initial respiratory disease in premature babies of less than 32 weeks gestation at birth is associated with no measurable developmental advantage or disadvantage at 2 years of age.

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