ABSTRACT 47

Abstract

Background and aims: Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) is a new ventilator modality with an innovative synchronization technique. Aims: Our aim is to verify if NAVA is feasible and safe in terms of physiological and clinical variables in infants recovering from severe ARDS. Methods: Infants affected by severe ARDS requiring high frequency ventilation, weaned with NAVA during 2010. Controls (2:1 ratio) were ARDS infants weaned with pressure support (PSV) during 2008–2009, matched for age, gas exchange impairment and weight.Setting: 3rd level academic pediatric intensive care units. Main outcome measures were physiological and ventilator parameters, duration of ventilator supporto in PSV or NAVA. Results: 10 infants treated with NAVA and 20 with PSV were studied. Heart rate (p<0.001) and mean arterial pressure (p<0.001) increased less during NAVA than during PSV. Similarly, PaO2/FiO2 ratio decreased less in NAVA than in PSV (p<0.001). NAVA also resulted in lower PaCO2 (p<0.001) and peak pressure (p=0.001), as well as higher minute ventilation (p=0.013). COMFORT score (p=0.004) and duration of support were lower in NAVA than in PSV (p=0.011). Conclusions: NAVA is safe and suitable in infants recovering from severe ARDS requiring HFOV as a rescue mode of ventilation. NAVA could provide better results than PSV and is worth to be investigated in a multicentre randomised trial.