Avoid routine use of pneumograms for pre-discharge assessment of ongoing and/or prolonged apnea of prematurity.

Rationale and Comments

Cardiorespiratory events are common in both term and preterm infants. Although there may be a role for pneumograms in selected cases where the etiology of the events is in doubt, they have not been shown to reduce acute life-threatening events or mortality from their routine use.

Sponsoring Organizations

• American Academy of Pediatrics - Section on Perinatal Pediatrics

Disciplines

• Neonatology
• Pulmonary medicine

References

• Di Fiore T. Use of sleep studies in the neonatal intensive care unit. Neonatal Netw. 2005 Jan;24(1):23-30.
  
• Ramanathan R, Corwin MJ, Hunt CE, Lister G, Tinsley LR, Baird T, Silvestri JM, Crowell DH, Hufford D, Martin RJ, Neuman MR, Weese-Mayer DE, Cupples LA, Peucker M, Willinger M, Keens TG; Collaborative Home Infant Monitoring Evaluation (CHIME) Study Group. Cardiorespiratory events recorded on home monitors: comparison of healthy infants with those at increased risk for SIDS. JAMA. 2001 May 2;285(17):2199-207.