Caffeineversusaminophylline for the prevention of apnoea of prematurity in a teaching hospital in South Africa

Abstract

Study objectives: To determine the safety and efficacy of the use of oral anhydrous caffeine and intravenous aminophylline in the neonatal population using therapeutic drug levels and clinical effects as markers for determination.Design: Prospective randomised study.Patients: Thirty-one neonates admitted (aminophylline n = 16, caffeine n = 15) with a gestational age of less than or equal to 34 weeks for prevention of apnoea of prematurity (AOP) were enrolled.Results: Oral anhydrous caffeine or intravenous aminophylline were administered using prescribed study regimens. One peak level was taken for the two drugs on day 4 of treatment 2 hours after the maintenance dose was administered. The two regimens were clinically monitored using cardiovascular, respiratory, gastro-intestinal and central nervous system parameters four hourly. The two groups did not differ significantly for gestational age (p = 0.782), birth weight (p = 1), gender (p = 0.722), and Apgar scores determined at 5 minutes (p = 0.068). Serum ...