Mechanical ventilation of very low birth weight infants: Is volume or pressure a better target variable?

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of volume-controlled (VC) ventilation to time-cycled pressure-limited (TCPL) ventilation in very low birth weight infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). STUDY DESIGN: Newborns weighing between 600 and 1500 g and with a gestational age of 24 to 31 weeks who had RDS were randomized to receive either VC or TCPL ventilation and treated with a standardized protocol. The 2 modalities were compared by determining the time required to achieve a predetermined success criterion, on the basis of either the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient <100 mm Hg or the mean airway pressure <8 cm H(2)O. Secondary outcomes included mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, and complications commonly associated with ventilation. RESULTS: The mean time to reach the success criterion was 23 hours in the VC group versus 33 hours in the TCPL group (P = .15). This difference was more striking in babies weighing