Gastroesophageal reflux related to respiratory inhibition after crying and feeding hypoxemia in infants.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationships between gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and both respiratory inhibition after crying (RIAC) and feeding hypoxemia in infants.


METHODS
We screened for RIAC and feeding hypoxemia among infants with a gestational age of 36 weeks or greater using pulse oximetry. We investigated the infants who showed hypoxemia with a decrease in SpO2 to less than 70% and bradycardia with a heart rate of less than 100 beats per minute caused by GER. We then evaluated the relationships between these events and both RIAC and feeding hypoxemia.


RESULTS
We examined 250 infants in the present study. RIAC and feeding hypoxemia were observed in 35 (14.0%), and 30 (12.0%) infants, respectively. Ten infants showed hypoxemia and bradycardia caused by GER. These events were correlated with RIAC (p = 0.006) and feeding hypoxemia (p = 0.031).


CONCLUSIONS
In the infants with RIAC and feeding hypoxemia, some show severe hypoxemia and bradycardia caused by GER. Medical staff caring for infants should note the presence of RIAC and feeding hypoxemia.
a Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , Nara Prefecture General Medical Center , Hiramatu , Nara , Japan.
Hideki
H
Minowa
a Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , Nara Prefecture General Medical Center , Hiramatu , Nara , Japan.
Reiko
R
Tamura
a Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , Nara Prefecture General Medical Center , Hiramatu , Nara , Japan.
Aya
A
Mima
a Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , Nara Prefecture General Medical Center , Hiramatu , Nara , Japan.
Ikuyo
I
Arai
a Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , Nara Prefecture General Medical Center , Hiramatu , Nara , Japan.
Hajime
H
Yasuhara
a Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , Nara Prefecture General Medical Center , Hiramatu , Nara , Japan.
Reiko
R
Ebisu
a Department of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , Nara Prefecture General Medical Center , Hiramatu , Nara , Japan.
Ayako
A
Ohgitani
D001919:Bradycardia / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000209:etiology*
Bradycardia; gastroesophageal reflux; hypoxemia; infants; pulse oximetry