[Effectiveness of low- and high-dose caffeine on idiopathic bradycardia and hypoxemia in premature infants].
The efficacy of low and high dose caffeine on idiopathic bradycardia and hypoxaemia was tested in premature infants. Among 41 infants admitted to the study 21 fulfilled the criterion for treatment, e.g. greater than 3 bradycardia or greater than 3 hypoxaemia during 6 h, and received a low dose of caffeine citrate (loading dose 10 mg/kg, maintenance dose 5 mg/kg/24 h) resulting in serum concentrations of 42 +/- 19 mumol/l (M +/- SD). Four infants had to be excluded later because a possible cause for the increased frequency of bradycardia and hypoxaemia was found. Ten infants met the treatment criterion once more and got a double dose of caffeine resulting in serum concentrations of 90 +/- 35 mumol/l. The efficacy of caffeine was evaluated by comparing for each infant the 12-h period preceding the treatment with three 12-h periods during treatment. Low dose caffeine reduced significantly the frequency of bradycardia (less than 0.01), but not the frequency of hypoxaemia. In those infants with insufficient response, who consequently got high dose caffeine, the frequency of bradycardia decreased significantly (p less than 0.01), whereas the frequency of hypoxaemia did not. These results have to be confirmed in a randomized placebo controlled trial.
D001919:Bradycardia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002951:Citrates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*
D002951:Citrates; D004338:Drug Combinations; D002110:Caffeine; C026189:caffeine citrate
Wirksamkeit von niedrig und hoch dosiertem Coffein auf idiopathische Bradykardien und Hypoxämien bei Frühgeborenen.