Energy expenditure and severity of respiratory disease in very low birth weight infants receiving long-term ventilatory support.

Abstract

We attempted to determine whether the hypermetabolism of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia was detectable during assisted ventilation. Respiratory gas exchange variables were measured with a metabolic gas monitor in 10 infants under similar nutritional conditions. Oxygen consumption increased linearly with the need for ventilatory support (R2 = 0.75), as documented by the ventilatory index.