PERIODIC BREATHING IN INFANTS WITH HISTORIES OF PROLONGED APNEA

Periodic breathing (PB) during sleep was investigated in 2 groups of full-term [human] infants with histories of apnea that were terminated by resuscitation. One group of infants had been reported to be asleep when the apneic episode occurred; the other group had been reported to be awake when apnea was noted. Electrophysiologic sleep recordings were made after the apneic incident. Infants with histories of prolonged apnea while asleep exhibited more PB during recorded sleep than infants with histories of apnea while awake. Increased PB during sleep in full-term infants may not be associated with all prolonged apneic episodes in infants, but may be specifically associated with those episodes that occur during sleep.