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Developmental changes in infant heart rate responses to head-up tilting
Michael M Myers1, Esperanza Gomez-Gribben, Kiersten S Smith
1Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, USA. mmm3@columbia.edu
Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|December 24, 2005
Summary
Newborn infants show significant heart rate changes when tilted, but this response diminishes by 2-4 months of age. This study investigated rapid tilting to understand these developmental changes in cardiac autonomic regulation.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Neonatal Development
- Autonomic Nervous System Function
Background:
- Newborn infants exhibit robust heart rate responses to head-up and head-down tilting.
- Previous research indicated a loss of significant heart rate increase to slow head-up tilting by 2-4 months of age.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if 2-4-month-old infants demonstrate significant heart rate increases during rapid head-up tilting.
- To investigate developmental changes in cardiac autonomic responses to hypotensive challenges.
Main Methods:
- Fifty-four infants were assessed at newborn and 2-4 month stages.
- Heart rate was measured during 30-degree head-up tilting at slow (30s) and rapid (5s) speeds.
Main Results:
- Newborns showed significant heart rate increases with both slow and rapid tilting.
- Infants at 2-4 months of age did not exhibit significant heart rate changes regardless of tilt speed.
Conclusions:
- Significant developmental changes occur in infant cardiac responses to hypotensive challenges.
- Newborns' sustained heart rate responses to head-up tilting resemble adults, but this diminishes by 2-4 months.
- Tilt testing may offer a standardized method for assessing autonomic competence in infants, particularly during the vulnerable period for sudden infant death syndrome.
