AUTHOR=Yavanoglu Atay Funda , Kanmaz Kutman Hayriye Gözde , Bidev Duygu , Bozkurt Kalyoncu Özlem , Oğuz Şerife Suna TITLE=The associations between caffeine treatment and common preterm morbidities: a retrospective cohort analysis JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics VOLUME=11 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2023.1178976 DOI=10.3389/fped.2023.1178976 ISSN=2296-2360 ABSTRACT=Introduction

Caffeine is one of the most used drugs in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). It is widely regarded as beneficial in preventing many morbidities by reducing apnea of prematurity and improving respiratory functions.

Methods

Premature infants with gestational ages >25 and <32 weeks who were hospitalized in the NICU between 2008 and 2013 and survived up to discharge were retrospectively analyzed. Infants treated with prophylactic caffeine were compared with historical controls born in 2008 and did not receive caffeine treatment. Maternal and neonatal characteristics and common neonatal morbidities were recorded.

Results

A total of 475 patients were analyzed. The patients receiving caffeine were classified as Group 1 (n = 355), and the patients not receiving caffeine were classified as Group 2 (n = 120). Despite the higher incidence of respiratory distress syndrome requiring surfactant therapy and a longer duration of respiratory support in Group 2, the rates of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and most other common morbidities were quite comparable. The frequency of apnea was statistically lower in the group that received caffeine prophylaxis (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

In this retrospective cohort analysis, we found that caffeine prophylaxis significantly decreased apnea attacks however does not prevent respiratory morbidity such as BPD.