Inclusion and exclusion criteria
All included studies met the following criteria: (1) randomized
controlled trial (RCT) or cohort study; (2) the intervention group was
given NHFOV and the comparison group was given NIPPV as initial
respiratory support or post-extubation respiratory support; and (3) at
least one of the following outcome parameters was reported. The primary
outcome was the rate of intubation or reintubation, indicating the need
for IMV after non-invasive respiratory support or extubation. The
secondary outcomes included: (i) the duration of non-invasive
ventilation, (ii) total oxygen therapy time, (iii) length of hospital
stay (LOS) , (iv) blood gas analysis indices (PaO2 and PaCO2 levels and
SpO2/FiO2 ratios) 1 h and 24 h after non-invasive respiratory support
and (v) adverse outcomes, including air leak, abdominal distension, BPD,
intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP),
necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), nasal injury, periventricular
leukomalacia, pneumothorax (PNX) and apnea.
The exclusion criteria were: (1) non-clinical studies, (2) research
protocols, (3) duplicated reports or secondary or post-hoc analyses of
the same study population or (4) lack of sufficient information related
to baseline or outcome data.