[Apnea of prematurity: risk factors and ambulatory treatment with caffeine citrate].
BACKGROUND
Apnea of prematurity develop during the first days of life and usually resolve by the time the infant reaches 36-37 weeks postmenstrual age. In a few cases, they persist beyond term, especially in infants delivered at the youngest gestational ages (24-28 GA), and require specific care. In our unit, those preterm babies are discharged home with caffeine citrate treatment. Discontinuing the treatment is performed in hospital when they achieve a postmenstrual age of at least 42 weeks.


OBJECTIVE
To identify predictive factors of persistent apnea in preterm babies.


METHODS
Retrospective study comparing a population of 41 preterm infants discharged with treatment to 123 preterm babies discharged without treatment to identify predictors of persistent apnea.


RESULTS
Factors significantly associated were: birth weight<1500 g, initial hypotension, gastroesophageal reflux, need for continuous positive airway pressure and multiparity. At home, no infant died and no adverse effect was reported by parents.


CONCLUSIONS
Persistent apnea can be responsible for prolonged hospitalization. Risk factors can be identified in some children. Discharging with treatment can be an alternative to their hospitalization.
Ducrocq
S
S
Service de Néonatologie, Hôpital d'Enfants Armand-Trousseau, APHP, 26, avenue du Docteur-Arnold-Netter, 75771 Paris cedex 12, France. sarah.ducrocq@cch.aphp.fr <sarah.ducrocq@cch.aphp.fr>
Biran-Mucignat
V
V
Boelle
P-Y
PY
Lebas
F
F
Baudon
J-J
JJ
Gold
F
F
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001049:Apnea / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001724:Birth Weight; D002110:Caffeine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002951:Citrates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000150:complications; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D002951:Citrates; D002110:Caffeine; C026189:caffeine citrate