Etiology of Apneas and Bradycardeas in Prematurity

Apenea and bradycardias are main concern in premature infants.  Apnea is defined as the cessation of breathing for longer than 20 seconds, or a shorter duration in the presence of pallor, cyanosis, or bradycardia (1). In preterm infants less than 1,500 grams at birth, approximately 70% will have at least one clinically observed episode of symptomatic apnea while in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and about 20% of these infants will have a specific medical cause. The other 80% of preterm infants with symptomatic apnea do not have a specific medical cause and by exclusion are then diagnosed as having AOP, the most important and prevalent disorder of respiratory control occurring in preterm infants.

Management of Anemia in Premature Infants

Anemia is the most common hematological disorder in premature infants. Physiologic and non-physiologic etiologies contributes the pathophsiologiy of this disorder. The physiologic anemia is called anemia of prematurity. The most important non-physiologic cause is bleeding into lab, i.e. iatrogenic blood withdrawal for studies.

Management


Blood transfusion