Use of a beta-agonist in ventilated, very-low-birth-weight babies: a longitudinal evaluation.
To determine if there is a specific postnatal (PNA) or postconceptional age (PCA) at which ventilated preterm infants respond to beta-agonists, we evaluated 15 infants with a mean gestational age of 26.5 +/- 1.5 weeks and mean birth weight of 0.89 +/- 0.23 kg who required mechanical ventilation at 10 days of age. Weekly pulmonary function testing (PFT) was performed before and 1 h after administration of albuterol. Taking the group as a whole, as well as individual babies, regression analysis showed no relationship between positive response and either PNA or PCA. Evaluation of individual infants, however, showed that some consistently responded to beta-agonists whereas others did not. We recommend individual PFT to identify those infants who will benefit from use of beta-agonists.
Kovacs
S J
SJ
Division of Neonatology, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pa.
Fisher
J B
JB
Brodsky
N L
NL
Hurt
H
H
D000420:Albuterol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005865:Gestational Age; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013990:Tidal Volume / Q000187:drug effects
D000420:Albuterol