Relationship between determinants of oxygen delivery and respiratory abnormalities in preterm infants with anemia

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To study the relationship between anemia and breathing abnormalities in preterm infants, we measured oxygen supply and demand in two groups of anemic infants <32 weeks of gestational age. Six-second apnea density was <1% in one group and ≥5% in the other. There were no differences in hemoglobin concentration, available oxygen, oxygen consumption, or Doppler-determined cardiac output between the two groups of infants. Furthermore, in anemic preterm infants with apnea density ≥5%, reductions in 6-second apnea density were similar after erythrocyte transfusion (mean ± SEM: from 8.6%±1.1% to 4.7%±0.7%) or after an isovolemic infusion of 5% albumin (from 9.0%±1.4% to 4.7%±0.7%). These results show no relationship between measures of oxygen delivery and respiratory irregularities, and indicate that volume expansion may play a role in ameliorating the pneumocardiogram abnormalities.

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