Early caffeine therapy and clinical outcomes in extremely preterm infants
Journal of Perinatology, 05/03/2012
Patel RM et al. – Infants receiving early caffeine (EC) therapy had improved neonatal outcomes. Further studies are needed to determine if caffeine prophylaxis should be recommended for preterm infants.
Methods- In a retrospective cohort of 140 neonates 1250g at birth, infants receiving EC were compared with those receiving late caffeine using logistic regression.
- Of infants receiving EC, 25% (21/83) died or developed BPD compared with 53% (30/57) of infants receiving LC (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09 to 0.70; P<0.01).
- PDA required treatment in 10% of EC infants versus 36% of LC infants (aOR 0.28, 95%CI 0.10 to 0.73; P=0.01).
- Duration of mechanical ventilation was shorter in infants receiving EC (EC, 6 days; LC, 22 days; P<0.01).
