Ventilation strategies and risk factors for intraoperative respiratory critical events and postoperative pulmonary complications in neonates and small infants: a secondary analysis of the NECTARINE cohort?

Alexander Fuchs*, Nicola Disma, Thomas Engelhardt, Vanessa Marchesini, Thomas Riedel, Krisztina Boda, Walid Habre, Thomas Riva, Nicola Disma, Francis Veyckemans, Katalin Virag, Tom G. Hansen, Karin Becke-Jakob, Pierre Harlet, Laszlo Vutskits, Suellen M. Walker, Jurgen C. de Graaff, Marzena Zielinska, Dusica Simic, Thomas EngelhardtWalid Habre, Christian Breschan, Rudolf Likar, Manuela Platzer, Isole Edelman, Johanes Eger, Stefan Heschl, Brigitte Messerer, Maria Vittinghof, Ruth Kroess, Martina Stichlberger, David Kahn, Thierry Pirotte, Caroline Pregardien, Francis Veyckemans, France Stevens, Johan Berghmans, Annemie Bauters, Luc De Baerdemaeker, Stefan De Hert, Koen Lapage, Aliaksandra Parashchanka, Jurgen Van Limmen, Piet Wyffels, Julie Lauweryns, Nadia Najafi, Joris Vundelinckx, Diana Butkovic, Ivana Kerovec Soric, Sandra Kralik, Et al., Wolfgang Buhre, Jan Schreiber, Elly Vermeulen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background: Optimal ventilation strategies and use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) in neonates and small infants undergoing anaesthesia remain unclear. We examined the association of perioperative ventilation strategies and administration of NMBAs on respiratory adverse events in the NEonate-Children sTudy of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe (NECTARINE) cohort. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of NECTARINE, which included infants up to 60 weeks' postmenstrual age undergoing anaesthesia for surgical or diagnostic procedures. The primary endpoint was the association between ventilation mode and intraoperative respiratory adverse events. Secondary endpoints were use of NMBA, and 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). Results: The dataset comprised 5609 patients undergoing 6542 procedures. Pressure-controlled ventilation was the primary ventilation modality, accounting for 52.4% (n=3428) of cases. The incidence of intraoperative respiratory critical events was 20.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 19.7–21.7%), while PPCs were observed in 17% of cases (95% CI 16.0–18.1%). Preanaesthesia respiratory conditions and NMBA use after tracheal intubation were associated with higher incidence of PPCs. Of the children receiving NMBAs, reversal was reported in 29.8%. The absence of reversal was associated with a higher incidence of PPCs, with a relative risk of 1.50 (95% CI 1.17–1.93). Conversely, NMBA reversal was associated with a reduced relative risk of 0.43 (95% CI 0.26–0.70). Conclusions: Regardless of ventilation strategy used, mechanical ventilation and baseline respiratory conditions were risk factors for a greater incidence of adverse respiratory events and PPCs. Reversal of NMBAs before tracheal extubation was significantly associated with reduced PPCs in neonates and should be routine clinical practice. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02350348).
Original languageEnglish
JournalBritish Journal of Anaesthesia
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 1 Jan 2025

Keywords

  • intraoperative respiration
  • mechanical ventilation
  • neonate
  • neuromuscular blocking agent
  • paediatric
  • postoperative pulmonary complications
  • respiratory adverse events

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