The epidemiology of apnoea of prematurity

Abstract

Apnoea of prematurity (AOP) does not have a precise definition, but is generally applied when a premature infant displays cessation of respiration for 20 or more seconds or less than 20 s if accompanied by cyanosis, pale colour of the skin or bradycardia (<100 beats per minute). 1 Another term that is occasionally used is apnoea and bradycardia of prematurity (ABP). We use the abbreviation AOP here for both terms. This is defined as cessation of breathing for ≥20 s accompanied by bradycardia, defined as <100 beats per minute. AOP occurs with preterm delivery, generally in an inverse relationship with gestational age (GA). Preterm birth, defined as delivery at age less than 37 weeks' gestation, is a global phenomenon with an incidence between 5% and 18% across 184 countries. 2 Approximately 15 million infants per year are born prematurely according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 3 representing a substantial

Changes in neonatal morbidity, neonatal care practices, and length of hospital stay of surviving infants born very preterm in the Netherlands in the 1980s and in the 2000s: a comparison analysis with identical characteristics definitions

“…The use of an accurate automated computer algorithm for detecting apnoea is a more reliable measure than the medical record that was mainly used in the previous years [ 44 ]. At the same time, the epidemiology of apnoea remains controversial [ 45 ]. Due to the different definitions for BPD used in the cohorts (diagnosis at postnatal 28 days versus 36 weeks postmenstrual age), this study could not analyse the collected BPD data.…”

Late effects of caffeine use on sleep of infants born prematurely

“…Apnea of prematurity is a self-limited morbidity with a prevalence inversely proportional to gestational age and is epidemiologically associated with adverse short- and long-term outcomes. 3 Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is childhood's most prevalent chronic lung disease. 4 Premature neonates who develop this condition in the neonatal period have worse lung function in adulthood.…”

The effect of acute respiratory events and respiratory stimulants on EEG-recorded brain activity in neonates: A systematic review

“…Apnoea – often defined as a pause in breathing of at least 20 s, or shorter if accompanied by bradycardia or cyanosis ( Committee on Fetus and Newborn. American Academy of Pediatrics, , 2003 , Elder et al, 2013 ) – is one of the commonest neonatal respiratory emergencies, and occurs frequently in very preterm infants ( Eichenwald, 2016 , Pergolizzi et al, 2022 ), with the risk extending beyond term gestation in some infants ( Eichenwald et al, 1997 ). Moreover, respiratory conditions are a common reason for admission to the neonatal unit, for both term and preterm infants ( Gallacher et al, 2016 ).…”