Application of three kinds of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation as a primary mode of ventilation in premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome: a randomized controlled trial

Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation has increasingly been chosen as the primary ventilation mode in respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in preterm infants. In order to further understand the application of various non-invasive positive pressure ventilation modes, we compared the advantages and disadvantages of three modes as a primary mode of ventilation in premature infants with RDS. From December 2011 to March 2013, 107 preterm infants with RDS who received intubation-pulmonary surfactant (PS) -extubation in our NICU were randomly divided (by means of random number table) into three groups based on the primary mode of ventilation: nasal continuous positive airway pressure [NCPAP, n = 39, male/female ratio was 27/12, mean gestational age (GA) was (32.0 ± 2.1)weeks, mean birth weight (BW) was (1752 ± 457)g], bi-level positive airway pressure [BiPAP, n = 35, male/female ratio was 25/10, GA was (31.4 ± 2.0) weeks, BW was (1530 ± 318) g], and synchronized bi-level positive airway pressure [SBiPAP, n = 33,