RESULTS
During the study period, a total of 702 infants with birth weight
< 1,250 grams and gestational age ≥22 weeks were admitted to
the NICU. Infants who died prior to an extubation attempt or had an
unplanned extubation prior to their first elective extubation attempt
were excluded from the analysis. One infant with missing outcome of
successful extubation was excluded and twelve patients were excluded
from the analysis as they were part of another study on extubation
readiness—Automated Prediction of Extubation Readiness
(clinicaltrials.gov NCT01909947). After excluding the infants as listed
above, a total of 360 infants were included in the study who received MV
via an endotracheal tube and had an elective extubation attempt within
the first 60 days of age. Among them, 268 (74%) were successful and 92
(26%) failed extubation.