Hemodynamics in premature infants with sepsis

Abstract

Preterm infants often develop late onset sepsis in the NICU, which is associated with significant mortality. In older children or adults with sepsis, intensive cardiovascular monitoring, often with intravascular catheters, is common. The preterm infant with late onset sepsis is usually only monitored with oxygen saturation, heart rate, and cuff blood pressure monitors, which provide minimal information about the cardiovascular response to sepsis or its treatment. In this issue of The Journal, de Waal and Evans evaluated the cardiovascular status of 20 infants with a mean gestational age of 27 weeks who developed late onset sepsis. After initial volume infusion, the infants had relatively high left and right cardiac outputs, low systemic vascular resistances, and normal blood pressures. The 5 infants who did not survive had lower initial blood pressures and cardiac outputs that fell on subsequent measurements. Survivors maintained the low systemic vascular resistances. This information is helpful for decisions about which drugs might be beneficial for the infants with sepsis and a poor prognosis.Article page 918 ▸ Preterm infants often develop late onset sepsis in the NICU, which is associated with significant mortality. In older children or adults with sepsis, intensive cardiovascular monitoring, often with intravascular catheters, is common. The preterm infant with late onset sepsis is usually only monitored with oxygen saturation, heart rate, and cuff blood pressure monitors, which provide minimal information about the cardiovascular response to sepsis or its treatment. In this issue of The Journal, de Waal and Evans evaluated the cardiovascular status of 20 infants with a mean gestational age of 27 weeks who developed late onset sepsis. After initial volume infusion, the infants had relatively high left and right cardiac outputs, low systemic vascular resistances, and normal blood pressures. The 5 infants who did not survive had lower initial blood pressures and cardiac outputs that fell on subsequent measurements. Survivors maintained the low systemic vascular resistances. This information is helpful for decisions about which drugs might be beneficial for the infants with sepsis and a poor prognosis. Article page 918 ▸ Hemodynamics in Preterm Infants with Late-Onset SepsisThe Journal of PediatricsVol. 156Issue 6PreviewTo describe the hemodynamic changes with time in preterm infants with clinical sepsis. Full-Text PDF