Abstract 86

Background. ELBWI may be stabilized in the delivery room without I/V. Secondary I/V may aggravate RDS, if not done in time. Hypothesis The need for I/V can be predicted by staging RDS(Pediat Radiol 1:145, 1973) and respiratory data within the first 2 h of life. Patients. 91 of 144 ELBWI born in 1996 / 1997 had no I/V at admission to the NICU. Complete data was available in n = 81 (GA: 26.9± 2.3 wks, birth weight: 796 ± 113g). No I/V till discharge(A): n = 38 (26%). Secondary I/V due to RDS (B): n=28 (19%), age 5.5 (1-42) h. I/V due to other reasons: n=15(10%), age 168 (2-312)h. Methods. The need for I/V within 24h (cumulative score > 4) was estimated by scoring the blinded data (admission, age 1h, 2h). Results. GA and initial PCO2 were not different in A and B. 18% of group A had RDS>II° and 21% of B had RDS <II°. The need for I/V was evident 6(0.5-22) h before I/V actually had been done. Sensitivity: 0.86, specificity: 0.96. Conclusions. The score enabled to preselect ELBWI who needed secondary I/V due to RDS, encouraging an elective intubation strategy in the delivery room for ELBWI, which is necessary to avoid futile I/V.Table

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