Table 3.
Reasons for extubation failure (more than one possible)*
| Reasons for failure: | N=56 % (n) |
|---|---|
| Apnea of prematurity | 48.2 (27) |
| Recurrence of RDS | 5.4 (3) |
| Respiratory failure† | 7.1 (4) |
| CO2 retention | 14.3 (8) |
| Frequent desaturations‡ | 7.1 (4) |
| Marked increase in O2 requirements | 14.3 (8) |
| Increased work of breathing | 35.7 (20) |
| Pulmonary interstitial emphysema (PIE) | 1.8 (1) |
| Bradycardia | 1.8 (1) |
| Pneumothorax | 1.8 (1) |
*
Information not available for several infants
†
Acute respiratory failure defined as PCO2>55 along with increased work of breathing (tachypnea, costal and/or subcostal retractions) and increasing FiO2 requirement above 50% to maintain saturations of at least 88% or higher
‡
Frequent desaturations defined as > 1/hour