Central sleep apnea in otherwise healthy term infants

Study Objectives: To describe the outcomes of central sleep apnea requiring home supplemental oxygen therapy in otherwise healthy term infants.Methods: All children < 1 year of age undergoing polysomnography between 2015 and 2020 at the Queensland Children's Hospital were retrospectively studied. Children with gestational age < 37 weeks, underlying syndrome, cleft palate, those with obstructive apnea-hypopnea index > 50% of total apnea-hypopnea index, or with underlying cardiac or pulmonary parenchymal pathology were excluded. Polysomnography parameters were extracted for periods both on and off supplemental oxygenation.Results: Fifty-two (mean [standard deviation] age at polysomnography 32.6 [34.7] days; 21 females) term infants were included. There was a statistically significant improvement in apnea-hypopnea index on supplemental oxygen (mean [standard deviation] in room air 50.2 [36.3] vs 11.6 [9], P < .001 on supplemental oxygen), in both rapid eye movement and nonrapid eye movement sleep, as well as in mean oxygen saturations (96.6% in room air to 98.9% on oxygen; P < .001). There was no statistically significant change in transcutaneous carbon dioxide levels or sleep duration. Oxygenation was prescribed for a median (interquartile range) age of 197 (127) days.Conclusions: Central sleep apnea in term infants who are otherwise healthy generally has a good prognosis, with oxygen therapy prescribed for around 6 months. Oxygen therapy was associated with improved saturations and decrease in apnea-hypopnea index when assessed with polysomnography.

Automated summary

The study aims to describe the outcomes of central sleep apnea requiring home supplemental oxygen therapy in otherwise healthy term infants. The findings suggest that central sleep apnea in otherwise healthy term infants generally has a good prognosis, and oxygen therapy can improve oxygen saturation and decrease apnea-hypopnea index when assessed with polysomnography.