#477 - Should Stable Preterm Infants Stay on CPAP Two Weeks Longer?
Shownotes
This week we are replaying one of our most listened-to episodes, which sits right at the heart of our special series on non-invasive ventilation recorded ahead of Hot Topics in Neonatology. Dr. Cindy McEvoy, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Neonatal Research at OHSU, joins Ben and Daphna to discuss her work on extended CPAP in preterm infants. CPAP has long been a cornerstone of neonatal care, but how long should stable infants remain on support? Dr. McEvoy shares findings from two randomized controlled trials that explored whether an additional two weeks of CPAP could promote lung growth and improve longer-term outcomes.
We review the physiologic rationale behind extended CPAP, including the role of mechanical stretch in stimulating alveolar and vascular development. Dr. McEvoy explains the stability criteria used to determine eligibility for extended CPAP and how her team measured pulmonary function in neonates. Results from her studies showed significant improvements in lung volume, diffusion capacity, and expiratory flows, with early signals of reduced wheezing at one year of age.
The conversation also touches on feeding tolerance, the practicalities of implementing extended CPAP in the NICU, and the need for larger multicenter studies to confirm these findings. This episode offers an evidence-based look at how a simple extension of an existing therapy might reshape respiratory outcomes for preterm infants.
This series is produced in partnership with Hot Topics in Neonatology and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare.
Join us at Hot Topics in Neonatology
National Harbor, MD, December 6 to 9, 2026. Register here: https://hottopicsinneonatology.nemours.org/registration.html
Don’t miss the live session continuing this conversation: Pressure, Flow, and the Grey Areas In Between. Monday, December 7 at 11:45 AM
Full agenda: https://hottopicsinneonatology.nemours.org/agenda.html
As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.
Enjoy!