We investigated the efficacy and adverse effects of aminophylline and caffeine citrate in 180 premature neonates for 10 days and nights. Aminophylline (n = 98) and caffeine citrate (n = 82) were equally effective in preventing apnea and bradycardia. The caffeine citrate group had a lower median heart rate on day 3, fewer neonates with tachycardia and a smaller amount of gastric aspirate on day 7. The need for mononasal continuous positive airway pressure and respirator therapy was similar in both groups. We conclude that caffeine citrate is the drug of choice for apnea and bradycardia prophylaxis in premature neonates with a gestational age < or = 33 full weeks.

ABSTRAm. Copenhagen study group of urinary tract infections in children (Departmentsmark.) Nitrofurantoin versus trimethoprim prophylaxis in recurrent urinary tract infection in children. A randomized, double-blind study. Acta Paediatr Scand 79: 1225,1990. The efficiency of nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim prophylaxis in preventing recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) was compared by means of actuarial percentage recurrence-free c w e s in a randomized, double blind study in 130 children (126 girls, 4 boys) aged 1 to 14 years (mean 7.5). The children received the antibiotics for 6 months. Nitrofurantoin proved to be the most efficient prophylactic drug in patients with abnormal urography and/or reflux (n=60) as evaluated by actuarial percentage recurrence-free analysis (p= 0.0025). However, no differences was found in patients without urinary tract abnormalities. Nitrofurantoin prophylaxis altered neither the pattern of resistance nor the bacteriological constellation, while patients receiving trimethoprim prophylaxis had 76 % trimethoprim resistant bacteria during prophylaxis, compared with 8 % before (p< 0.0001) and 17 % after (p< 0.0001) prophylaxis. The percentage of recurrences due to E. coli (70430%) was unaffected by trimethoprim prophylaxis, but the proportion due to trimethoprim resistant E. coli was significantly higher during prophylaxis (65%) than before (6%, p