Abstract

Introduction Apnea of prematurity develop during the first days of life and usually resolve by the time the infant reaches 36-37 weeks postmenstrual age. In a few cases, they persist beyond term, especially in infants delivered at the youngest gestational ages (24–28 GA), and require specific care. In our unit, those preterm babies are discharged home with caffeine citrate treatment. Discontinuing the treatment is performed in hospital when they achieve a postmenstrual age of at least 42 weeks. Objective To identify predictive factors of persistent apnea in preterm babies. Material and methods Retrospective study comparing a population of 41 preterm infants discharged with treatment to 123 preterm babies discharged without treatment to identify predictors of persistent apnea. Results Factors significantly associated were: birth weight < 1500 g, initial hypotension, gastroesophageal reflux, need for continuous positive airway pressure and multiparity. At home, no infant died and no adverse effect was reported by parents. Conclusion Persistent apnea can be responsible for prolonged hospitalization. Risk factors can be identified in some children. Discharging with treatment can be an alternative to their hospitalization.

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