Use of caffeine in infants unresponsive to theophylline in apnea of prematurity

Abstract

Eleven premature infants with severe apnea unresponsive to therapeutic the ophylline levels were studied to determine if caffeine is an effective treatment in such cases. Apnea was documented and quantitated with thermistor-pneumocardiograms measuring heartrate, thoracic impedance, and nasal air flow. Infants with prolonged central or mixed apnea were then treated with caffeine and restudied. Caffeine reduced the total number of apneic episodes of > 10 sec duration by 80% (P < 0.01) and prolonged episodes of apnea (> 20 sec) by 88% (P < 0.05). These data suggest that caffeine may be effective in the management of apnea of prematurity, particularly the prolonged type, unresponsive to theophylline. Pediatr Pulmonol 1987; 3:90–93.