Abstract
There is an increased incidence of apnea in the period immediately following an apneic event. Tine intervals were measured between successive apneic events (≥20 sec.) in 355 hrs. of impedance pneumographic recordings obtained from 8 premature infants, B.W. 800-1100gm, during the first week of life. 521 intervals were identified. A disproportionate number of apneas, 20% of all events, occurred within 2 min. of a preceding event. The incidence of repeat apneic events fell exponentially during the 2 min. following an event. The decrease after 2 min. was more gradual, but it also approximated an exponential. Logarithmic regression analysis was used to compare the data of the first 2 min. to the incidence data of the next 33 min. The regression equation for the first 2 min. predicted a peak apnea incidence (i.e., extrapolation to zero interval) 6 times that predicted by the equation for the next 33 min. (r = 0.78, for both equations). The high initial incidence of apnea immediately following an apnea, 6 times the expected rate, and its steep exponential disappearance suggest that the second event may be causally related to the first. The clinical relevance of this data is that a large number of “follow-on” events might be prevented by close surveillance of the infant during the critical first 2 min. after apnea.
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Flanagan, W., Rowe, J., Hodaon, W. et al. APNEA IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING APNEA IN PREMATURE INFANTS. Pediatr Res 11, 533 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00979
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197704000-00979