The Effect of Positioning on Adaptation to Spontaneous Breathing in Premature Infants after Weaning from Mechanical Ventilation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

INTRODUCTION: Aim: To determine the effects of positioning on adaptation to spontaneous breathing in premature infants after weaning from mechanical ventilation.
METHODS: This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted with 60 (study group=30; control group=30) premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. The infants in the study group and the control group were in a prone position and a supine position, respectively, during the first 120 minutes when spontaneous breathing started after they were weaned from mechanical ventilation.
RESULTS: There were significant intragroup differences in mean heart rate between repeated measures at different time points. The differences were not found to be due to positioning. The mean SpO2 was higher in the study group than in the control group, although the difference was not significant. This finding suggested that positioning did not have an influence on SpO2. Two infants in the control group failed to maintain spontaneous breathing. Although the study group had a significantly higher respiratory rate than the control group, the difference was not significant. Therefore, positioning was not found to affect respiratory rate.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: There was no effect of positioning on adaptation to spontaneous breathing in premature infants after weaning from mechanical ventilation.