The effects of caffeine on heart rate variability in newborns with apnea of prematurity.
OBJECTIVE
Apnea of prematurity is a common complication in premature newborns and caffeine is a widespread medication used to treat this complication. Caffeine may have adverse effects on the cardiovascular and central nervous system, yet its effects on the autonomic nervous system modulation of heart rate have not been studied in premature newborns, which was the objective of our study.


METHODS
We prospectively studied 21 premature newborns who were treated with caffeine. We analyzed heart rate variability by power spectral density and by dynamic nonlinear analyses methods.


RESULTS
There were no changes in heart rate, blood pressure or the autonomic nervous system tone following administration of caffeine, nor were the nonlinear dynamical properties of the system altered by caffeine.


CONCLUSIONS
Caffeine does not have detrimental effects on heart rate variability, heart rate or blood pressure in conventional doses given to premature newborns.
Departments of Neonatology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
I
I
Ulanovsky
Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
N S
NS
Haleluya
1] Departments of Neonatology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel [2] Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
S
S
Blazer
1] Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel [2] Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
A
A
Weissman
D001049:Apnea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D002110:Caffeine