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Respiratory events in preterm infants prior to discharge: with and without clinically concerning apnoea

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to determine the characteristics of respiratory events in preterm infants with clinically concerning apnoea at or beyond 35 weeks postmenstrual age and to compare these findings with a group of preterm infants ready for discharge, without clinically concerning apnoea.

Methods

Infants born at <32 weeks of gestation and who underwent nap polysomnography at or beyond 35 weeks corrected age prior to discharge were included. Cases were preterm infants with clinically concerning apnoea, and control infants were preterm infants asymptomatic for apnoea. Infants with upper airway obstruction, congenital malformations or apnoea associated with sepsis were excluded. Studies were retrospectively reviewed for length, type and frequency of apnoea. The relationship between sleep state and changes in oxygen saturation was compared between groups. Peri-natal and demographic data were also compared.

Results

Data were complete for 16 case and 18 control infants. Gestational age was similar at birth and at time of study, but cases had a lower birth weight (p = 0.04) and higher weight at study (p = 0.04). There were no group differences in the mean duration, type or numbers of apnoea. The duration of the longest apnoea was greater in case infants (17.4 s vs. 12.3 s, p = 0.02). Lowest oxygen saturation (p < 0.05) and average minimum oxygen saturation (p < 0.05) were lower in case infants.

Conclusions

Preterm infants with clinically concerning apnoea have similar amounts and types of apnoea but lower oxygen saturation after apnoea compared with controls. The use of oxygen saturation monitoring is more useful than respiratory monitoring alone in recognising these events.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Gordon Purdie for undertaking the statistical analysis. Studies on control infants were supported by grants from The New Zealand Lotteries Board, the New Zealand Cot Death association, the Wellington Medical Research foundation and the Wellington Masonic Lodge no. 1521 EC.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Author notes

  1. Janine Whale

    Present address: Child Health Service, Whangarei Hospital, Whangarei, New Zealand

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, University of Otago Wellington, P.O. Box 7343, Wellington, New Zealand

    Dawn E. Elder

  2. Department of Child Health Services, Capital and Coast District Health Board, Wellington, New Zealand

    Janine Whale

  3. Department of Surgery and Anaesthesia, University of Otago Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

    Duncan Galletly

  4. Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

    Angela J. Campbell

Authors
  1. Dawn E. Elder
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  2. Janine Whale
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  3. Duncan Galletly
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  4. Angela J. Campbell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dawn E. Elder.

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Elder, D.E., Whale, J., Galletly, D. et al. Respiratory events in preterm infants prior to discharge: with and without clinically concerning apnoea. Sleep Breath 15, 867–873 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-010-0457-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-010-0457-x

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