Abstract
Polygraphic studies lasting 6 hours were made sequentially at 1 week, 1, 3 and 6 months in 14 infants (9 normal and 5 sibs of sudden infant death-SIDS). Heart and respiratory rate(HR,RR) ,transcutaneous oxygen(PtcO2) ,and the incidence of apnoea,bradycardia and periodic breathing was compared at each age. HR and RR were higher in active sleep(AS)than in quiet sleep(QS)at all ages In normal babies RR did not change with age but in the sibs of SIDS it was higher at 1 week and 1 month(P<0.05). PtcO2 rose in the normal babies between 1 week and 1 month and in the sibs of SIDS between 1 week, and 3 months (P<0.05). There was no difference in mean PtcO2 between AS and QS at any age and the level was not different between groups at 1 month when the sibs of SIDS had a higherRR.The hypothesis that this group suffers chronic mild hypoxia is not supported(1). In normal babies between 1 week and 1 month the incidence of apnoea (3-5 secs) decreased in AS but increased in QS.Apnoea 6 secs was rare but most common at 1 week. No apnoea > 11 secs was recorded.Bradycardia (<100 bpm) accompanied 7% of apnoeic episodes at 1 week, this increased to 15% at 3 months but was absent at 6 months.Episodes of periodic breathing were most frequent at 1 month and then decreased progressively at 3 and 6 months. From birth to 6 months the mechanisms which control breathing develop with a separate time sequence for different sleep states.
1. Hoppenbrouwers T.T. et al Ped. Res. 10:425,1976.
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Wilkinson, A., Johnson, P., Carse, E. et al. Regulation of Breathing and Transcutaneous Oxygen in Infants during Sleep from birth to 6 months. Pediatr Res 14, 1427 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198012000-00112
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198012000-00112