Sl. Watkin et al., TEMPORAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PAUSES IN NASAL AIR-FLOW AND DESATURATION IN PRETERM INFANTS, Pediatric pulmonology, 21(3), 1996, pp. 171-175
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.