Home-made continuous positive airways pressure device may reduce mortality in neonates with respiratory distress in low-resource setting.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effectiveness of locally assembled low-cost version for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) delivery.

PATIENTS

Babies with respiratory distress from two contiguous periods, one with CPAP therapy and the other without, were compared for following parameters: birth weight, gestational age, severity of respiratory distress, as assessed by Silverman-Anderson retraction score (SARS), maximum SARS, days taken for score to become 0, duration of oxygen therapy, hospital stay and the outcome.

RESULTS

The profile of subjects was comparable in two groups. Severity of respiratory distress (SARS) was significantly higher in post-CPAP group. Time taken for SARS to become 0 and number of deaths were significantly lower, and the duration of oxygen administration and hospital stay were significantly higher in post-CPAP group. The cost of an individual disposable CPAP unit was ∼Rs 160 (USD 3).

CONCLUSION

A low-cost and locally assembled CPAP delivery system may reduce neonatal mortality among babies with respiratory distress.