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Background: Caffeine is widely used in preterm infants for apnea control. It has no effect on sleep in the only existing polysomnographic study including ten preterm infants Behavioral and polygraphic studies have conflicting results.
Methods: We studied 21 late-preterm infants at a median gestational age of 36 weeks. Polysomnography was performed twice, at baseline on day 1 and on the day after the onset of caffeine treatment (20 mg/kg loading and 5 mg/kg morning maintenance dose).
Results: Caffeine acted short term as a breathing stimulant with reduction of apneas, improved baseline SpO (p < 0.001), and decreased 95 percentile of end-tidal carbon dioxide level (p < 0.01). It also increased arousal frequency to SpO desaturations of more than 5% (p < 0.001). Caffeine did not affect sleep stage distribution, sleep efficiency, frequency of sleep stage transitions, appearance of REM periods, or the high number of spontaneous arousals. The median spontaneous arousal count was 18 per hour at baseline, and 16 per hour during caffeine treatment (p = 0.88).
Conclusions: In late-preterm infants, caffeine has a clear short-term respiratory stimulant effect, and it increases the arousal frequency to hypoxia. However, caffeine does not appear to act as a central nervous system stimulant, and it has no acute effect on sleep quality.
Impact: Effects of caffeine on sleep in preterm infants has previously been investigated with only one full polysomnographic study including ten preterm infants. The study showed no effect. The current study shows that caffeine acts short term as a respiratory stimulant and increases arousal frequency to hypoxia. Although a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant in adults, caffeine does not seem to have similar acute CNS effect in late-preterm infants. The onset of caffeine treatment has no short-term effect on sleep stage distribution, sleep efficiency, frequency of sleep stage transitions, appearance of REM periods, or the high number of spontaneous arousals.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41390-021-01794-y | DOI Listing |
Am J Perinatol
September 2025
Division of Neonatology, Nemours Children's Health at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
This study aimed to evaluate outcomes and resource utilization in neonates ≥35 weeks' gestation admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for persistent hypothermia, and to assess the incidence of early-onset sepsis (EOS) as well as the potential benefit of using the Kaiser Permanente EOS calculator for risk stratification.This retrospective study included 161 neonates born ≥35 weeks' gestation admitted to the NICU with persistent hypothermia (core temperature <36.5°C on three separate measurements) at a tertiary care hospital between April 2017 and June 2024.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Pediatr
August 2025
Department of Neonatology, Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, Kazakhstan.
This study is aimed at evaluating the cumulative effect of postnatal risk factors on the survival of preterm neonates by examining key clinical parameters and complications across various gestational ages. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from 1109 neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units at two tertiary regional hospitals in Kazakhstan between 2021 and 2024. Patients were classified into three groups based on gestational age: extremely preterm (< 28 weeks, = 223), very preterm (28-31 weeks, = 384), and moderate to late preterm (32-36 weeks, = 502).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPediatr Pulmonol
September 2025
Department of Neonatology, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi, India.
Background: Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS), a common cause of respiratory failure in late preterm and term neonates, is associated with a high risk of mortality and morbidity. Amongst all the treatment modalities for severe MAS, surfactant administration has a proven role in decreasing progressive respiratory failure.
Methods: The present open-label randomised controlled trial aimed to determine the effect of early (≤ 2 h) bolus surfactant therapy as compared to standard care on the total duration of respiratory support.
J Educ Health Promot
July 2025
Nursing Research Center, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
Background: Delivered between 34 and 36 weeks of gestation, late preterm neonates account for nearly 70% of all preterm births. While these neonates are often treated as if they were full term, they have different challenges and needs that pose significant caregiving challenges for their families. Therefore, this study aims to explore the needs of mothers in short-term care of late preterm neonates at home.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Pediatr
August 2025
Department of Pediatrics, Baoding Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Baoding, Hebei, China.
Background: Despite significant advancements in neonatal care, mid to late preterm infants (32-36 weeks' gestation) remain at high risk for recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs). Current prevention strategies are limited by the absence of individualized risk assessment tools. This study aimed to identify critical perinatal risk factors and to develop a robust, clinically applicable prediction model for RRTI in this vulnerable population.
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