Biomaterial Database

Episodic airway obstruction in premature infants. 1983

D A Dransfield, and A R Spitzer, and W W Fox

Seventy-six premature infants with clinical apnea, bradycardia, or cyanosis were studied with polygraph recordings of heart rate, nasal thermistor detection of airflow, and impedance pneumography. Pathologic apnea was defined by cessation of breathing for greater than 20 s or less than 20 s with bradycardia (heart rate, less than 100 beats per minute). Apnea was classified as central, obstructive, or mixed. Four hundred thirty-three apnea episodes were demonstrated: 238 (55.0%) were central, 53 (12.2%) showed obstructive apnea, and 142 (32.8%) were mixed. Fifty-two infants (68.5%) demonstrated some degree of obstructive apnea, while 24 infants (31.5%) had central apnea only. Bradycardia did not occur in any patient unless preceded by apnea. In premature infants, a significant percentage of apnea was associated with airway obstruction.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007231	Infant, Newborn	An infant during the first 28 days after birth.	Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D007235	Infant, Premature, Diseases	Diseases that occur in PREMATURE INFANTS.
D012127	Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn	A condition of the newborn marked by DYSPNEA with CYANOSIS, heralded by such prodromal signs as dilatation of the alae nasi, expiratory grunt, and retraction of the suprasternal notch or costal margins, mostly frequently occurring in premature infants, children of diabetic mothers, and infants delivered by cesarean section, and sometimes with no apparent predisposing cause.	Infantile Respiratory Distress Syndrome,Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome,Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Infant
D001919	Bradycardia	Cardiac arrhythmias that are characterized by excessively slow HEART RATE, usually below 50 beats per minute in human adults. They can be classified broadly into SINOATRIAL NODE dysfunction and ATRIOVENTRICULAR BLOCK.	Bradyarrhythmia,Bradyarrhythmias,Bradycardias
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000402	Airway Obstruction	Any hindrance to the passage of air into and out of the lungs.	Choking,Airway Obstructions,Obstruction, Airway,Obstructions, Airway
D001049	Apnea	A transient absence of spontaneous respiration.	Apneas
D001238	Asphyxia Neonatorum	Respiratory failure in the newborn. (Dorland, 27th ed)