Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38837291›Full record

Observational studyJournal of sleep research2025

Short apneas and periodic breathing in preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit-Effects of sleep position, sleep state, and age.

Georgina Plunkett, Stephanie Yiallourou, Aimee Voigt, Aishah Segumohamed, Kelsee Shepherd, Rosemary Horne, Flora Wong

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of sleep research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Review
  3. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Georgina PlunkettThe Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0009-0002-2351-6336
Stephanie YiallourouThe Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Aimee VoigtThe Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0009-0009-7235-0812
Aishah SegumohamedThe Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Kelsee ShepherdThe Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Rosemary HorneThe Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-3575-0461
Flora WongThe Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-8265-2330

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council 1083026National Health and Medical Research Council 1159120Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support ProgramVictor Yu Clinical Research fellowship
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This observational study investigated the effects of sleep position and sleep state on short apneas and periodic breathing in hospitalized preterm infants longitudinally, in relation to postmenstrual age. Preterm infants (25-31 weeks gestation, n = 29) were studied fortnightly after birth until discharge, in prone and supine positions, and in quiet sleep and active sleep. The percentage of time spent in each sleep state (percentage of time in quiet sleep and percentage of time in active sleep), percentage of total sleep time spent in short apneas and periodic breathing, respectively, the percentage of falls from baseline in heart rate, arterial oxygen saturation and cerebral tissue oxygenation index during short apneas and periodic breathing, and the associated percentage of total sleep time with systemic (arterial oxygen saturation < 90%) and cerebral hypoxia (cerebral tissue oxygenation index < 55%) were analysed using a linear mixed model. Results showed that the prone position decreased (improved) the percentage of falls from baseline in arterial oxygen saturation during both short apneas and periodic breathing, decreased the proportion of infants with periodic breathing and the periodic breathing-associated percentage of total sleep time with cerebral hypoxia. The percentage of time in quiet sleep was higher in the prone position. Quiet sleep decreased the percentage of total sleep time spent in short apneas, the short apneas-associated percentage of falls from baseline in heart rate, arterial oxygen saturation, and proportion of infants with systemic hypoxia. Quiet sleep also decreased the proportion of infants with periodic breathing and percentage of total sleep time with cerebral hypoxia. The effects of sleep position and sleep state were not related to postmenstrual age. In summary, when sleep state is controlled for, the prone sleeping position has some benefits during both short apneas and periodic breathing. Quiet sleep improves cardiorespiratory stability and is increased in the prone position at the expense of active sleep, which is critical for brain maturation. This evidence should be considered in positioning preterm infants.

Indexed as

Infant, PrematureSleepSleep Apnea SyndromesAge FactorsFemaleHeart RateHumansInfant, NewbornIntensive Care Units, NeonatalLongitudinal StudiesMaleOxygen SaturationProne PositionSupine PositionNICUperiodic breathingpreterm infantsprone sleep positionshort apneas

Identifiers

PMID38837291
PMCPMC11744229

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.