Abstract
Five six-hour daytime studies on each of 13 preterm infants, 6 healthy (HPTI) and 7 with previous persistent oxygen dependency (PPOD) were carried out between 36 weeks GA and six months post term and compared with those in normal term infants (NTI). All babies showed a rise in heart rate between term and one month with a subsequent fall to six months. Only the early heart rates were higher in preterm infants and highest in PPOD infants [e.g. at Term. NTI 116±2.9 QS 123.7±2.1 AS; HPTI 136.9±1.5 QS 140.5±1.9 AS; PPOD 151.7±2.8 QS 154.7±2.8 AS]. Heart rates were always higher in active (AS) than in quiet sleep (QS). Respiratory rates were only higher at term in HPTI and PPOD [42±3 QS 43±2.5 AS; NTI 32.7±2.2 QS 35.8±1.8 AS]. TcPO2 rose during the first month, post term, was highest at term in HPTI; and was lower at all ages in PPOD infants. Only in HPTI at 36 weeks GA was tcPO2 lower in active sleep. No NTI or HPTI had TcPO2 < 50 torr (64 studies) whereas 11 of 34 studies in PPOD were < 50 torr: 7 of these were lower in QS. Some preterm infants following PPOD may have lowered oxygen tensions during sleep for several months [eg 3 months post-term PPOD 58.4±2.8 torr vs healthy 78±3.4 torr]. Neither tachycardia nor tachypnea or apnea correlated with this. Interstitial lung disease or diminished oxygen chemosensitivity may be the cause. Future sleep-related respiratory disorder and intellectual impairment should be considered. FSSID NO. 30.
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Carse, E., Wilkinson, A., Whyte, P. et al. 1265A OXYGEN TENSION (tcPO2) HEART RATE, BREATHING, AND SLEEP DURING INFANCY FOLLOWING PRETERM BIRTH. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 654 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01294
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01294