Apnea in Premature Infants and Incubator-Air-Temperature Changes

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Abstract
The thermal events associated with apneic spells-were recorded during the monitoring of selected premature infants housed in incubators controlled by servo mechanism to maintain skin temperature between 35.8 and 36.6°C. The temperature changes that occurred during the 120 seconds before the onset of apnea were compared to the changes measured exactly 15 minutes before each episode. Of the 126 apneic spells 70 occurred during a rise, 44 during a fall, and 12 during a plateau (no change) in air temperature. During the nonapneic control periods, there were 41 rises, 64 falls and 21 plateaus in temperature. The onsets of apnea, therefore, were preceded by rising air temperatures more commonly (p less than 0.001) than matched moments without apnea. This correlation, supported by dramatic examples of apnea with sudden increases in air temperature, adds to the evidence that present incubator thermal control may help trigger apnea.