. 2024 Nov 14;122(Suppl 1):152–172. doi: 10.1159/000542482

Table 2.

Summary of study characteristics per respiratory condition

Topics	Study design	Population	Comparisons	Setting	Publication date range
Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Prophylactic CPAP	2 RCTs	269 neonates, <37 weeks GA	1 Prophylactic CPAP versus supportive care or mechanical ventilation	Brazil and Iran	2013–2014
Prophylactic CPAP	2 RCTs	269 neonates, <37 weeks GA	1 Prophylactic CPAP versus very early CPAP	All tertiary facilities	2013–2014
Early versus Delayed CPAP	No studies from LMICs found	NA	0 Early CPAP versus delayed CPAP (at approximately FiO₂ 0.6 or more)	NA	NA
Any CPAP versus Oxygen Therapy	1 RCT	48 neonates, <37 weeks GA	1 Pumani bubble CPAP versus humidified oxygen	Tanzania	2020
Any CPAP versus Oxygen Therapy	1 RCT	48 neonates, <37 weeks GA	1 Pumani bubble CPAP versus humidified oxygen	All tertiary facilities	2020
Bubble CPAP	13 RCTs	1,261 neonates, <37 weeks GA	13 Underwater Bubble CPAP versus other ventilators or Infant Flow Driver CPAP devices	Albania, Armenia, Brazil, India, and Iran	2010–2017
Bubble CPAP	13 RCTs	1,261 neonates, <37 weeks GA		All tertiary facilities	2010–2017
Animal-Derived Surfactant	12 RCTs, 1 Quasi-RT	1,451 neonates, <37 weeks GA	3 bovine lung lavage versus modified bovine lung	Brazil, India, Iran, Mexico, and Turkey	2004–2022
			2 bovine lung lavage versus porcine minced lung	12 tertiary facilities
			9 modified bovine lung versus porcine minced lung (any initial dosage)	1 mixed facility
			7 modified bovine lung versus porcine minced lung (initial dosage of >100 mg/kg)
			1 modified bovine lung versus porcine lung lavage
			1 goat lung surfactant extract versus modified bovine lung
			1 porcine minced lung versus modified bovine lung or porcine minced lung
Apnoea of Prematurity
Methylxanthines	1 RCT, 1 Quasi-RT	52 neonates, <37 weeks GA	1 Aminophylline or caffeine versus normal saline placebo	Iran	2016
Methylxanthines	1 RCT, 1 Quasi-RT	52 neonates, <37 weeks GA	1 Aminophylline or caffeine versus normal saline placebo	All tertiary facilities	2016
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
Postnatal Corticosteroids	5 RCTs	534 neonates, <37 weeks GA	1 budesonide versus surfactant	China and Iran	2016–2022
Postnatal Corticosteroids	5 RCTs	534 neonates, <37 weeks GA	4 budesonide and surfactant versus surfactant only	All tertiary facilities	2016–2022
Meconium Aspiration Syndrome
Endotracheal Suctioning	4 RCTs	571 neonates, ≥34 weeks GA	2 Endotracheal suctioning versus oropharyngeal suctioning	India	2015–2019
Endotracheal Suctioning	4 RCTs	571 neonates, ≥34 weeks GA	2 Endotracheal suctioning versus oro-nasopharyngeal suctioning	All tertiary facilities	2015–2019
Antibiotics	3 RCTs	336 neonates, ≥34 weeks GA	1 Ampicillin and amikacin versus no antibiotics	India	1995–2015
			1 Piperacillin-tazobactam and amikacin versus no antibiotics	All tertiary facilities
			1 Gentamicin versus no antibiotics	All tertiary facilities
Bolus Surfactant	1 RCT	61 neonates, Unspecified age range	1 Porcine minced lung (poractant alfa) versus unspecified non-surfactant control therapy	China	2005
Bolus Surfactant	1 RCT	61 neonates, Unspecified age range		All tertiary facilities	2005
Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn
Salbutamol	6 RCTs	458 neonates, ≥34 weeks GA	6 Nebulized salbutamol (0.15 mg/kg) versus nebulized normal saline placebo	Iran, Mexico, and Turkey	2011–2019
Salbutamol	6 RCTs	458 neonates, ≥34 weeks GA		All tertiary facilities	2011–2019

RCT, randomized controlled trial; GA, gestational age; CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; NA, not applicable; Quasi-RT, quasi-randomized trial.