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Apnea, bradycardia and desaturation in preterm infants before and after feeding

C Slocum1, M Arko, J Di Fiore

  • 1Carillion Roanoke Community Hospital, Roanoke, VA, USA.

Journal of Perinatology : Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association
|January 17, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Feeding preterm infants increases gastroesophageal reflux (GER) events, altering reflux height and acidity. However, feeding does not impact cardiorespiratory events like apnea or bradycardia in these infants.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Clinical Physiology

Background:

  • Preterm infants often experience gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and cardiorespiratory events.
  • A common clinical belief suggests feeding exacerbates both GER and cardiorespiratory issues in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To objectively quantify the impact of feeding on GER events.
  • To assess the relationship between feeding and cardiorespiratory events (apnea, bradycardia, desaturations) in preterm infants.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of preterm infants (23-37 weeks gestational age).
  • Utilized multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII) and pH monitoring.
  • Compared GER and cardiorespiratory event rates before and after feeding.

Main Results:

  • Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) events significantly increased post-feeding (P=0.012).
  • Post-feeding reflux was less acidic and occurred higher in the esophagus (P<0.05).
  • No significant alteration in apnea, bradycardia, or desaturation rates was observed after feeding.

Conclusions:

  • Feeding significantly modifies the frequency, height, and acidity of GER in preterm infants.
  • Clinical impression linking feeding to increased cardiorespiratory events in preterm infants is not supported by objective data.
Abstract

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