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Periodic breathing in preterm infants: Influence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and theophylline
Author(s) -
Glotzbach Steven F.,
Tansey Patricia A.,
Baldwin Roger B.,
Ariagno Ronald L.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.1950070205
Subject(s) - medicine , bronchopulmonary dysplasia , apnea , asymptomatic , theophylline , pediatrics , periodic breathing , sudden infant death syndrome , population , cardiorespiratory fitness , incidence (geometry) , anesthesia , gestational age , pregnancy , genetics , physics , environmental health , optics , biology
Periodic breathing (PB) has been studied extensively in both normal term infants and term infants presumed to be at high risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS); however, little is known about the incidence and significance of PB in preterm infants. Twenty‐four hour impedance pneumograms were obtained from 108 preterm infants prior to their discharge from the nursery and four PB parameters (%PB, No. of episodes of PB/100 min, mean duration of PB episode length, and duration of the longest episode of PB) were quantified in each recording. Control infants who were asymptomatic for apnea had the highest PB parameter values (%PB, 12.0; No. episodes/100 min, 8.6; mean duration, 1.2 min; and longest episode, 7.3 min); infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) showed dramatic decreases in all PB parameters, with a median %PB of 1/16 of the control population. Theophylline use was associated with a significant decrease in PB parameter values only in infants without BPD. Central apneas >15 s did not vary significantly as a function of BPD, theophylline, or postconceptional age. We conclude that the clinical status of preterm infants significantly influences PB parameter values and must be taken into account in the interpretation of pneumograms, for decision‐making about home cardiorespiratory monitoring, and in assigning risk for SIDS. Pediatr Pilmonol. 1989; 7:78–81 .