Oxygen cost of breathing in newborn infants with long-term ventilatory support

Oxygen consumption (v@?O2) was measured during controlled and spontaneous ventilation with continuous positive airway pressure in newborn infants in whom chronic lung disease later developed. The oxygen cost of breathing (the difference in v@?O"2 between spontaneous and controlled ventilation) was significantly higher in infants with chronic lung disease than in control infants (20.1% +/- 7.5% and 4.8% +/- 4.9% of v@?O"2 during spontaneous ventilation [p < 0.05], respectively). (J PEDIATR 1995;127:984-7)