Association between oxygenation and ventilation indices with the time on invasive mechanical ventilation in infants

Background: Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is a common practice in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). However, the role of oxygenation (OI) and ventilation (VI) indices regarding the time on IMV has not been fully understood. Basic procedures: The study was conducted with infants up to 24 months of age, hospitalized in PICU for two consecutive years. The values of ventilatory parameters, OI, VI, and blood gas of infants, collected in the first seven days in IMV, were associated with the time on IMV. IMV was classified into: short (≤seven days) and long time (>seven days). The comparison was made from the first to the seventh day. Alpha = 0.05. Main findings: Of 142 infants [mean age = 7.51 ± 6.33 months], 59 (41.5%) remained on IMV for a short time and 83 (58.5%) for a long time. Differences in PaO2 values were found on the second day, and PaO2/FiO2 ratio on the second, third and fourth days, with higher values in the short-term IMV. For FiO2 from the second to the fifth day; Pinsp from the first to the seventh day; PEEP from the second to the sixth day; mechanical respiratory frequency from the second to the seventh day, PaCO2 on the second day; Paw from the first to the seventh day, OI from the second to the sixth day, and VI from the first to the seventh day, the values were higher in the long-term IMV. Conclusions: The OI and VI can be considered as potential predictors of long-term IMV, along with other markers obtained during the IMV. Keywords: Blood gas, Infant, Invasive mechanical ventilation, Oxygenation index, Pediatric intensive care unit, Ventilation inde