TEMPORAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PAUSES IN NASAL AIR-FLOW AND DESATURATION IN PRETERM INFANTS

Physiological recordings were undertaken to study the temporal relatio nship between apnea, defined as pauses in nasal airflow (PNA), and des aturation in preterm infants. Seventeen infants with a history of apne a of prematurity were studied on 21 occasions. Median (range) birthwei ght was 1,180 g (575-2,475) and gestation was 30 weeks (26-33). Median age at time of study was 10 days (range, 2-52). Arterial beat to beat oxygen saturation (SaO(2)), photoplethysmographic waveform, electroca rdiogram, abdominal and ribcage breathing movements, and nasal airflow were recorded. Falls in SaO(2) greater than or equal to 3% occurring during or after a PNA greater than or equal to 4 seconds were recorded . Episodes of periodic breathing were excluded from this analysis. Fou r hundred and sixteen episodes of PNA and desaturation were analyzed. Application of a definition of ''outliers'' for non-parametric data su ggested an association when the desaturation occurred up to 7.20 secon ds after the end of the PNA for infants nursed in air. For infants on oxygen treatment, a temporal association was suggested when desaturati on occurred up to 9.76 seconds after the end of PNA. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1996; 21:171-175. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.