ASSESSMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH HOME CARDIORESPIRATORY MONITORING IN INFANTS AT RISK OF SUDDEN-INFANT-DEATH-SYNDROME

Objectives: Documented monitoring was used to evaluate prospectively ( 1) the level of compliance among infants in whom cardiorespiratory mon itoring was clinically indicated and (2) factors that might influence compliance: diagnosis, socioeconomic status, maternal age and educatio n, and alarms, Study design: Sixty-seven infants (51% female, 49% term ) were sequentially enrolled, and monitoring was prescribed for the fo llowing indications: siblings of sudden infant death syndrome victims (16%), apnea of prematurity (45%), and apparent life-threatening event s or apnea of infancy (39%), Demographic data, alarm and event data, a nd a summary report of monitor use from the first monitor download wer e obtained, Results: Maternal age, education, and insurance status did not differ significantly by indication for monitoring, The median num ber of monitor alarms per 10 hours of use was 0.7 for apnea or bradyca rdia and 0.6 for loose lead alarms, Monitors were available for use in the home from 2 to 106 days (median, 1 1 days), Median hours of monit or use per full day in the home was 15,5 hours, Of 67 infants, 58 used the monitor for at least part of every day in the home, The number of hours of monitor use per day did not differ significantly by diagnost ic category, chronologic age, alarms, maternal age, education, or insu rance type. This study population of infants at increased risk of sudd en infant death syndrome had excellent compliance; 75% of the infants were monitored more than 10,5 hours per day, and 25% were monitored mo re than 21 hours per day, Conclusions: Documented monitoring provides an objective measure of compliance, These data provide a potential goa l for level of compliance with home cardiorespiratory monitoring.