#396 - [Journal Club] - 📌 Surfactant Thresholds: Is 40% FiO2 as Safe as 30%?

In this episode of Journal Club, Ben and Daphna review a non-inferiority trial from the European Journal of Pediatrics exploring surfactant administration thresholds in preterm neonates. The study, conducted in India, compares a 30% versus 40% FiO2 threshold for babies 26-32 weeks gestational age. The hosts break down the counterintuitive findings regarding respiratory support duration in younger subgroups and discuss the broader implications of using rigid FiO2 heuristics versus individualized patient assessment. They also debate how resource availability influences clinical protocols and the potential benefits of "LISA" (Less Invasive Surfactant Administration) for avoiding intubation.----Higher (40%) versus lower (30%) FiO2 threshold for surfactant administration in preterm neonates between 26 and 32 weeks of gestational age: a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial. Haq MI, Datta V, Bandyopadhyay T, Nangia S, Anand P, Murukesan VM.Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Nov 25;184(12):793. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-06628-1.PMID: 41288797 Clinical Trial. Support the showAs 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!